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Lies in White Dresses
In the 1940s and 50s, women who needed a fast divorce went to Nevada to live on a ranch with other women in the same boat. This historical novel was inspired by the true stories of those who “took the Reno cure.”
Francie Meeker and Vi Carothers were sold a bill of goods: find a man, marry him in a white wedding gown, and live happily ever after. These best friends never expected to be on the train to Reno, those “lies in white dresses” shattered, their marriages over.
On board the train they meet June Samples, who is fleeing an abusive husband with her daughter, and take the vulnerable young mother under their wing. The three decide to wait out the required six weeks together, and then they can toss their wedding bands into the Truckee River and start new lives as divorcees.
But as they settle in at the ranch, one shocking moment will change their lives forever. As it brings their deceptions and fears into focus, it will also demand a reckoning with the past, and the choices that a person in love can be driven to make.
Francie Meeker and Vi Carothers were sold a bill of goods: find a man, marry him in a white wedding gown, and live happily ever after. These best friends never expected to be on the train to Reno, those “lies in white dresses” shattered, their marriages over.
On board the train they meet June Samples, who is fleeing an abusive husband with her daughter, and take the vulnerable young mother under their wing. The three decide to wait out the required six weeks together, and then they can toss their wedding bands into the Truckee River and start new lives as divorcees.
But as they settle in at the ranch, one shocking moment will change their lives forever. As it brings their deceptions and fears into focus, it will also demand a reckoning with the past, and the choices that a person in love can be driven to make.
384 pages, Paperback
First published September 17, 2019
93 people are currently reading
3724 people want to read
About the author
Sofia Grant
4 books182 followersCalled a “writing machine” by the New York Times and a “master storyteller” by the Midwest Book Review, Sofia Grant has written dozens of novels for adults and teens under the name Sophie Littlefield. She has won Anthony and RT Book Awards and been shortlisted for Edgar, Barry, Crimespree, Macavity, and Goodreads Choice Awards. Visit www.sofiagrant.com and www.sophielittlefield.com for more information.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 102 reviews
September 22, 2019
I had heard of the term “the Reno Cure,” but I had no idea what it really was.
In the 1940s and 50s, women sought refuge in Nevada while awaiting a fast divorce.
Francie and Vi fell for the whole fairy tale. If you married, it was a happily ever after situation. They are best friends, on a train together to Reno, sad about the fates of their marriages.
While aboard, they meet June, with her daughter in tow, who is fleeing an abusive husband. A divorce takes six weeks in Nevada, and the three agree to wait it out together.
Something shocking happens, and it it makes the friends question everything they thought they knew.
Lies in White Dresses is a beautiful story of friendship and women coming together to face any hardship. Sofia Grant brings in all the atmosphere of this place and time.
Overall, Lies in White Dresses is a snapshot in time, one in which women had fewer rights. This is a touch heavier on the romance than the history, and all in all, it was a heartfelt read about friendship and women’s strength.
I received a complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com
In the 1940s and 50s, women sought refuge in Nevada while awaiting a fast divorce.
Francie and Vi fell for the whole fairy tale. If you married, it was a happily ever after situation. They are best friends, on a train together to Reno, sad about the fates of their marriages.
While aboard, they meet June, with her daughter in tow, who is fleeing an abusive husband. A divorce takes six weeks in Nevada, and the three agree to wait it out together.
Something shocking happens, and it it makes the friends question everything they thought they knew.
Lies in White Dresses is a beautiful story of friendship and women coming together to face any hardship. Sofia Grant brings in all the atmosphere of this place and time.
Overall, Lies in White Dresses is a snapshot in time, one in which women had fewer rights. This is a touch heavier on the romance than the history, and all in all, it was a heartfelt read about friendship and women’s strength.
I received a complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com
October 5, 2019
Sofia Grant has written an enlightening and engaging story about a part of history I did not previously know about. In The 1940s and 50s women seeking a divorce would take up residence in Reno Nevada where they could acquire a divorce in six weeks, the “Reno Cure“. This was the story of best friends Francie and Vi Who are traveling together on a train to Reno both seeking a divorce for very different reasons. While on the train they come across June a young lady fleeing an abusive husband, the friends sympathize with June’s plight and take her and her young daughter under their wings. After a night of dinner, drinks, and dancing, a celebration of their new found freedom, a tragedy strikes that will alter these characters lives forever.
This is a story about the strength of female friendship in a time when women had far fewer options than they do today. The story also addressed some other issues such as abuse, homosexuality and disability, made you realize how far we have come, but remember how far we still have to go. Sometimes I had to take a couple steps back and realize that this was the 50s and a different time. I loved the strong theme of friendship running throughout the story, that could be found in the most unlikely of situations. Virgi The 12-year-old daughter of the lady who ran the hotel added some levity to the story. I loved watching her spy on everyone, gather clues and make inferences that were completely incorrect. A miniature Nancy drew, Who ultimately save the day. The perfect blend of drama, history, friendship, and girl power!
This book in three emojis: 👯♀️ 💍 🔍
This is a story about the strength of female friendship in a time when women had far fewer options than they do today. The story also addressed some other issues such as abuse, homosexuality and disability, made you realize how far we have come, but remember how far we still have to go. Sometimes I had to take a couple steps back and realize that this was the 50s and a different time. I loved the strong theme of friendship running throughout the story, that could be found in the most unlikely of situations. Virgi The 12-year-old daughter of the lady who ran the hotel added some levity to the story. I loved watching her spy on everyone, gather clues and make inferences that were completely incorrect. A miniature Nancy drew, Who ultimately save the day. The perfect blend of drama, history, friendship, and girl power!
This book in three emojis: 👯♀️ 💍 🔍
October 1, 2019
Once again, Historical Fiction has taken me by surprise with a little known fact I knew nothing about. Women in the 40’s and 50’s thought that happiness could only come in the form of a white dress in their Happy Ever After, but what about when marriage didn’t last?
Heartbroken, Francie and Vi discover this very thing, seeking refuge as they await divorce. I loved this story of healing and friendship, and overcoming a hard time in the women’s lives. Again, it makes me grateful to be a woman born in the time that I’m living, and that I take for granted sometimes.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 stars!
*Thank you to TLCbooktours and publisher for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own
Heartbroken, Francie and Vi discover this very thing, seeking refuge as they await divorce. I loved this story of healing and friendship, and overcoming a hard time in the women’s lives. Again, it makes me grateful to be a woman born in the time that I’m living, and that I take for granted sometimes.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 stars!
*Thank you to TLCbooktours and publisher for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own
September 13, 2019
As with "The Daisy Children," Sofia Grant uncovers a piece of history that many of us may not be aware and brings it to life. In this case, the "Reno Cure" is featured. Vi, Frankie and June are all waiting for their divorces to be final -- each heartbroken over the turns their lives have taken since they wore their white dresses and said their vows. A pivotal event occurs early in the book that will impact each one of their families in unforeseen ways. Spunky Virgie Swanson was by far my most favorite character. It was such a delight to have an inside look as the wheels in her mind were turning and turning; trying to channel her inner Nancy Drew. The chapters showing her notes were some of my favorites! Overall, though, this book is about the breaking down of an essential piece of our society and has so many sad moments. Explores the themes of domestic abuse, women's rights, homosexuality, the aftermath of World War II and economics through the lens of the late 40's and early 50's.
"There were stories here--intrigue and passion, grievances and violence, devotion and betrayal."
Thank you to William Morrow Paperbacks and Edelweiss for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
"There were stories here--intrigue and passion, grievances and violence, devotion and betrayal."
Thank you to William Morrow Paperbacks and Edelweiss for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
February 24, 2020
This story could have happened in real life. How do I know? I was the head dude wrangler on the famous Flying M.E. dude-divorce ranch 20 miles south of Reno from 1947 to 1949. The author portrays three of the typical female divorce seeker types who came to Reno for a six-week divorce: the socialite, the heartbroken type, and the golddigger. I wrote my memoir of my years on the Flying M.E. in "The Divorce Seekers: A Photo Memoir of a Nevada Dude Wrangler". My praise to Ms. Grant for helping to preserve this slice of history few know about today.
October 8, 2019
This book seems to be wildly popular from the reviews I have read on here; but for me, it was wildly predictable and rather mundane.
I thought the premise was intriguing - a book focused on the "Reno Cure" - a period of time in the 1950's when women boarded trains and headed west on a six-week journey to Reno, Nevada, to take advantage of the state’s liberal divorce laws. The book focuses on three such women, Vi, Francine and June, and their journey to divorce. It is told in alternating POVs and there is a myriad of plots all going on simultaneously. The storyline touches on infidelity, sexuality, disabilities, and domestic abuse. Unfortunately, there so many "hints" from the get-go, that I could tell where the storyline was headed long before it actually got there.
It is quick-paced read that is more romance than historical fiction, in my opinion. There are some elements of suspense and female friendships, but overall, it reads like a good ole Harlequin romance - in the end, the poor, abused, young mother finds her Prince Charming, the bad guys get what is due them, etc. It was predictable and a bit too neat and tidy. Interesting premise, but it just never got off the ground for me. 2 "ho hum" stars.
I thought the premise was intriguing - a book focused on the "Reno Cure" - a period of time in the 1950's when women boarded trains and headed west on a six-week journey to Reno, Nevada, to take advantage of the state’s liberal divorce laws. The book focuses on three such women, Vi, Francine and June, and their journey to divorce. It is told in alternating POVs and there is a myriad of plots all going on simultaneously. The storyline touches on infidelity, sexuality, disabilities, and domestic abuse. Unfortunately, there so many "hints" from the get-go, that I could tell where the storyline was headed long before it actually got there.
It is quick-paced read that is more romance than historical fiction, in my opinion. There are some elements of suspense and female friendships, but overall, it reads like a good ole Harlequin romance - in the end, the poor, abused, young mother finds her Prince Charming, the bad guys get what is due them, etc. It was predictable and a bit too neat and tidy. Interesting premise, but it just never got off the ground for me. 2 "ho hum" stars.
September 16, 2019
It is 1952 and two society matrons, Vi Carothers and Francie Meeker, are traveling from their homes in San Francisco, to Reno, Nevada in order to divorce their husbands. While on board the train they meet June Samples who along with her four-year old daughter Patty, is escaping her abusive husband and also seeking a divorce in Reno. The three women check into the Holiday Ranch, where after a 6-week stay women could obtain a legal divorce in a time when most states still did not allow women to divorce their husbands. This story is narrated by the different characters and switches from light humor to drama throughout. The plot also touches on infidelity, homosexuality and domestic abuse. This quick paced novel is more Women’s Fiction/Romance than historical fiction, but overall an enjoyable and interesting look into the “Reno Cure” of the time period.
Thank you to William Morrow Paperbacks and Edelweiss for the e-ARC.
Thank you to William Morrow Paperbacks and Edelweiss for the e-ARC.
September 8, 2020
This book was an easy read, but all of it was very convenient and the characters were forgettable.
July 20, 2021
This was extremely entertaining. Vi and Francie are going for the Reno Cure. Nevada allows a divorce if you are a resident there for 6 weeks. After WWII many women stayed in hotels and the concierge would testify that they had been a resident for 6 weeks. Vi's husband had cheated on her for years and was insisting on a divorce. The cad put his fiancee and Vi into the same hotel! Francie is divorcing because her husband is gay. The 2 have been best friends for years. On the way they meet a young woman with her 4 year old child. They have her stay with them. The friendship between the 3 was nicely developed and I also enjoyed the flashbacks.
September 18, 2019
Sofia Grant’s latest historical fiction release is Lies in White Dresses. It is set in the 50’s back when women were expected to get married in a white dress and live happily ever after. Getting a divorce at that time was much different than today – during this time, many women traveled to Reno Nevada and stayed for six weeks in a hotel in order to get their divorce. Lies in White Dresses is the story of three women heading to Reno to get a divorce. Frances & Vi have been neighbors and best friends for 30 years – they both board the train heading to Reno and meet a young woman named June who is traveling with her young child Patty. June is divorcing an abusive husband and Vi sees something in her and just takes her and Patty under her wing and even invites them to stay with her in her suite at the hotel. Each woman has a story as to how they have come to be getting a divorce. I love that the author writes about historical periods that aren’t necessarily widely written about. I don’t believe I had ever hear of what is called the “Reno Cure” I would give this book 4 stars. I thank the publisher and Edelweiss for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
June 19, 2019
Loved getting an early peek at Sofia Grant's latest gem. Here was my quote:
More than a skillfully woven novel, Lies in White Dresses reads like a black-and-white film that pulls you in from the very first scene. The escalating adventures of three women seeking swift divorces in 1950s Reno are propelled by intrigue, charm, and twists that will keep you guessing until the final credits roll. A memorable, atmospheric tale to savor with a friend and a rum-ginger fizz.
More than a skillfully woven novel, Lies in White Dresses reads like a black-and-white film that pulls you in from the very first scene. The escalating adventures of three women seeking swift divorces in 1950s Reno are propelled by intrigue, charm, and twists that will keep you guessing until the final credits roll. A memorable, atmospheric tale to savor with a friend and a rum-ginger fizz.
March 10, 2020
Actually ⭐️⭐️started out so good! Was really excited to read this. Then it totally changed.
Got s convoluted and crazy. Didn’t like it at all.
Became very dull, predictable, boring 👎
Got s convoluted and crazy. Didn’t like it at all.
Became very dull, predictable, boring 👎
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 17, 2019
1952
Francie Meeker is traveling by train to Reno, Nevada with her friend Violet (Vi) Carothers. Both women will be staying in Reno for six weeks, which will then allow them to get a divorce from their husbands. It is a popular spot for women seeking what is known as “the Reno cure.”
As they head to the dining car, they see a young mother with her little daughter. The woman is being turned away from the first class dining car. Irritated at the slight, Francie insists that they join them at their table. June Samples and her 4-year-old daughter, Patty, are also headed to Reno. However, their funds are very limited so Francie and Vi insist that they stay in Vi’s suite as it has more room. June is shy and doesn’t want to take advantage of the ladies, but they all agree and settle into the Holiday Ranch hotel.
Virgie Swanson, age 12, is the daughter of the woman running the hotel and she is always busy helping with lots of chores. She also works hard for tips. She wants to be able to attend a private detective academy so she can become a private eye in California. She is a huge fan of Nancy Drew and is always watching people and doing her own little “investigations” of things going on.
The first night the women go out to a local restaurant and then stop at a bar for a drink and some dancing. On the way back, they stop by a river and just look at the water.
The next morning Vi is found drowned down by the river. They don’t know if it was an accident or if she threw herself into the water. Now, Francie is going to plan her funeral. Enlisting June’s help, they make plans to have Vi buried in a local cemetery by her parents where she grew up. As the preparations continue, we meet the spouses, lovers, and children of Francie, Vi, and June and get an insight into why the ladies were seeking a divorce.
I had a difficult time maintaining my interest in this book in the first part as it seemed to lack atmosphere and a good plot. But it quickly started to encompass a whole slew of emotions that come from marriages breaking apart; infidelity; brutal spouses; and much more. But to offset these difficult parts, we have some touches of humor and almost a tad of the Three Stooges to wrap it all up to make it all more palatable. Bottom line: friendship wins out in the end. Readers are going to enjoy this one.
Copy provided by Edelweiss in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Francie Meeker is traveling by train to Reno, Nevada with her friend Violet (Vi) Carothers. Both women will be staying in Reno for six weeks, which will then allow them to get a divorce from their husbands. It is a popular spot for women seeking what is known as “the Reno cure.”
As they head to the dining car, they see a young mother with her little daughter. The woman is being turned away from the first class dining car. Irritated at the slight, Francie insists that they join them at their table. June Samples and her 4-year-old daughter, Patty, are also headed to Reno. However, their funds are very limited so Francie and Vi insist that they stay in Vi’s suite as it has more room. June is shy and doesn’t want to take advantage of the ladies, but they all agree and settle into the Holiday Ranch hotel.
Virgie Swanson, age 12, is the daughter of the woman running the hotel and she is always busy helping with lots of chores. She also works hard for tips. She wants to be able to attend a private detective academy so she can become a private eye in California. She is a huge fan of Nancy Drew and is always watching people and doing her own little “investigations” of things going on.
The first night the women go out to a local restaurant and then stop at a bar for a drink and some dancing. On the way back, they stop by a river and just look at the water.
The next morning Vi is found drowned down by the river. They don’t know if it was an accident or if she threw herself into the water. Now, Francie is going to plan her funeral. Enlisting June’s help, they make plans to have Vi buried in a local cemetery by her parents where she grew up. As the preparations continue, we meet the spouses, lovers, and children of Francie, Vi, and June and get an insight into why the ladies were seeking a divorce.
I had a difficult time maintaining my interest in this book in the first part as it seemed to lack atmosphere and a good plot. But it quickly started to encompass a whole slew of emotions that come from marriages breaking apart; infidelity; brutal spouses; and much more. But to offset these difficult parts, we have some touches of humor and almost a tad of the Three Stooges to wrap it all up to make it all more palatable. Bottom line: friendship wins out in the end. Readers are going to enjoy this one.
Copy provided by Edelweiss in exchange for a fair and honest review.
2019-arcs
August 16, 2019I am excited to find out that I have won the Goodreads Giveaway for this book! I can't wait to get this book in the mail. I have read so many great books the last 2 months. I love a good Historical Fiction book!!
Goodreads Synopsis:
In the 1940s and 50s, women who needed a fast divorce went to Nevada to live on a ranch with other women in the same boat. This historical novel was inspired by the true stories of those who “took the Reno cure.”
Francie Meeker and Vi Carothers were sold a bill of goods: find a man, marry him in a white wedding gown, and live happily ever after. These best friends never expected to be on the train to Reno, those “lies in white dresses” shattered, their marriages over.
On board the train they meet June Samples, who is fleeing an abusive husband with her daughter, and take the vulnerable young mother under their wing. The three decide to wait out the required six weeks together, and then they can toss their wedding bands into the Truckee River and start new lives as divorcees.
But as they settle in at the ranch, one shocking moment will change their lives forever. As it brings their deceptions and fears into focus, it will also demand a reckoning with the past, and the choices that a person in love can be driven to make.
Goodreads Synopsis:
In the 1940s and 50s, women who needed a fast divorce went to Nevada to live on a ranch with other women in the same boat. This historical novel was inspired by the true stories of those who “took the Reno cure.”
Francie Meeker and Vi Carothers were sold a bill of goods: find a man, marry him in a white wedding gown, and live happily ever after. These best friends never expected to be on the train to Reno, those “lies in white dresses” shattered, their marriages over.
On board the train they meet June Samples, who is fleeing an abusive husband with her daughter, and take the vulnerable young mother under their wing. The three decide to wait out the required six weeks together, and then they can toss their wedding bands into the Truckee River and start new lives as divorcees.
But as they settle in at the ranch, one shocking moment will change their lives forever. As it brings their deceptions and fears into focus, it will also demand a reckoning with the past, and the choices that a person in love can be driven to make.
September 18, 2025
Not sure why, but I didn't expect much. Turned out, I actually enjoyed it and didn't really want to put it down. Slow start, but eventually you may find yourself invested in your "new friends" futures.
December 25, 2020
I rarely give a book 5 stars, particularly one that deals in overused tropes and stereotypes. Sofia Grant's story, transcends its genre and provides a fresh look at 1950's marital and divorce conventions, and builds a compelling story of love, friendship and new beginnings.
December 13, 2024
Multiple storyline featuring three women who meet travelling to Nevada for a mandatory month’s stay to enable their desired divorces. Multiple complications follow as their stay unfolds which I found to complicate my reading attention..
September 28, 2019
Originally published at Reading Reality
This is a story about secrets, and lies. The lies we live with, and the lies we discover that we can’t. It’s also a story about female friendship and paying it forward and figuring out who we are when we have to stand on our own.
And it’s a slice of a tiny but important portion of women’s history, when divorce, while still not commonplace, and still stigmatized, was at least possible – if you had enough time and enough money – or enough moxie to carry you through.
The “Reno cure” could be thought of as the hidden shadow behind the post-war late 1940s and the 1950s – that era of supposed normalcy and happy nuclear families – between the war years and the swinging 60s. Not all marriages were happy, and not all women were thrilled to give up the jobs and the freedom that they’d experienced during the war.
But this isn’t exactly that story either, although it is the same era, and probably owes inspiration to those circumstances. Or, the Reno Cure itself is the product of those circumstances.
Frannie and Vi, middle-aged best friends from San Francisco, have come to Reno to get divorced from their cheating husbands. It seems as though they have finally both had enough, and that their well-to-do husbands are more than willing to pay for their six-week stay in Reno so that they can get divorced and live happily-ever-after, with other people.
Or that’s what the husbands’ want, and the wives have finally acquiesced.
Along the way, Frannie and Vi rescue young June Samples and her little daughter Patty, on their own way to Reno to endure those same six weeks at the cheapest and most down-at-heel hotel June could find, in the hopes that June can stay hidden long enough to get her own divorce.
The three women, a generation apart, bond together over their shared and secret truths. None of which turn out to be quite what the others thought as their journey began.
But in the end, they are all the better for it – no matter where that future leads them.
Escape Rating B+: The “lies in white dresses” that the title refers to are all those dreams that little girls have about so-called “perfect” weddings, a dream that is force-fed to those girls long before they are old enough to understand that their “dream” wedding is not the important part.
It’s a lesson that we’re still learning.
In their own ways, Frannie, Vi and June each bought into that “lie”, only to have discovered that they hadn’t looked nearly carefully enough at the hazy figure putting the ring on their fingers before it was far too late. Or is it?
June’s husband is an abuser. Frannie’s husband is gay – not that Frannie didn’t know. Vi’s is a narcissist who is constitutionally incapable of keeping his pants zipped.
June wants to be safe. Frannie wants to be free. And Vi wants it to be over.
In the wake of that “over” she gives her friends, both new and old, the gift of a fresh start. If they can manage to reach out and grasp it.
What makes this story work is the slow reveal, not of the secrets which are mostly obvious fairly early on – although Vi’s is a doozy that remains hidden the longest, and appropriately so. It works because we witness the events in the wake of Vi’s departure, and watch as her friends, her family, and their families move forward together, drawing closer ties between them every step of the way.
The story switches first-person perspective through every one of its major players, from the three women at its center, to the woman who plans to take Vi’s place, both her adult children and Frannie’s, and the hidden witness to the whole drama, the young wannabe detective whose mother runs the divorce ranch.
They all have their own secrets, they all tell their own lies, and they are all trying to make their way as best they can. Readers will identify and empathize with them each differently, depending on where we are and our experiencea in relation to theirs. I’ll admit that I found the pre-teen “Nancy Drew” crossed the line between precocious and “too precious”, and not in a good way. At the same time, the way that she redeemed herself at the end was a terrific moment.
In the end Lies in White Satin is a surprisingly involving story about just how supportive and empowering true women’s friendship can be. I do not envy them the times they lived in or the circumstances in which they found themselves, but the depth of their love for each other was wonderful to read.
P.S. One of last week’s books gave me a terrible earworm, as its title was a popular song in the 1980s. Lies in White Dresses also gave me an earworm, as its title scans exactly like Nights in White Satin by the Moody Blues, a song I remember being popular in the 1970s. The lyrics also fit in a peculiar way. But now both songs are endlessly repeating in my poor head!
This is a story about secrets, and lies. The lies we live with, and the lies we discover that we can’t. It’s also a story about female friendship and paying it forward and figuring out who we are when we have to stand on our own.
And it’s a slice of a tiny but important portion of women’s history, when divorce, while still not commonplace, and still stigmatized, was at least possible – if you had enough time and enough money – or enough moxie to carry you through.
The “Reno cure” could be thought of as the hidden shadow behind the post-war late 1940s and the 1950s – that era of supposed normalcy and happy nuclear families – between the war years and the swinging 60s. Not all marriages were happy, and not all women were thrilled to give up the jobs and the freedom that they’d experienced during the war.
But this isn’t exactly that story either, although it is the same era, and probably owes inspiration to those circumstances. Or, the Reno Cure itself is the product of those circumstances.
Frannie and Vi, middle-aged best friends from San Francisco, have come to Reno to get divorced from their cheating husbands. It seems as though they have finally both had enough, and that their well-to-do husbands are more than willing to pay for their six-week stay in Reno so that they can get divorced and live happily-ever-after, with other people.
Or that’s what the husbands’ want, and the wives have finally acquiesced.
Along the way, Frannie and Vi rescue young June Samples and her little daughter Patty, on their own way to Reno to endure those same six weeks at the cheapest and most down-at-heel hotel June could find, in the hopes that June can stay hidden long enough to get her own divorce.
The three women, a generation apart, bond together over their shared and secret truths. None of which turn out to be quite what the others thought as their journey began.
But in the end, they are all the better for it – no matter where that future leads them.
Escape Rating B+: The “lies in white dresses” that the title refers to are all those dreams that little girls have about so-called “perfect” weddings, a dream that is force-fed to those girls long before they are old enough to understand that their “dream” wedding is not the important part.
It’s a lesson that we’re still learning.
In their own ways, Frannie, Vi and June each bought into that “lie”, only to have discovered that they hadn’t looked nearly carefully enough at the hazy figure putting the ring on their fingers before it was far too late. Or is it?
June’s husband is an abuser. Frannie’s husband is gay – not that Frannie didn’t know. Vi’s is a narcissist who is constitutionally incapable of keeping his pants zipped.
June wants to be safe. Frannie wants to be free. And Vi wants it to be over.
In the wake of that “over” she gives her friends, both new and old, the gift of a fresh start. If they can manage to reach out and grasp it.
What makes this story work is the slow reveal, not of the secrets which are mostly obvious fairly early on – although Vi’s is a doozy that remains hidden the longest, and appropriately so. It works because we witness the events in the wake of Vi’s departure, and watch as her friends, her family, and their families move forward together, drawing closer ties between them every step of the way.
The story switches first-person perspective through every one of its major players, from the three women at its center, to the woman who plans to take Vi’s place, both her adult children and Frannie’s, and the hidden witness to the whole drama, the young wannabe detective whose mother runs the divorce ranch.
They all have their own secrets, they all tell their own lies, and they are all trying to make their way as best they can. Readers will identify and empathize with them each differently, depending on where we are and our experiencea in relation to theirs. I’ll admit that I found the pre-teen “Nancy Drew” crossed the line between precocious and “too precious”, and not in a good way. At the same time, the way that she redeemed herself at the end was a terrific moment.
In the end Lies in White Satin is a surprisingly involving story about just how supportive and empowering true women’s friendship can be. I do not envy them the times they lived in or the circumstances in which they found themselves, but the depth of their love for each other was wonderful to read.
P.S. One of last week’s books gave me a terrible earworm, as its title was a popular song in the 1980s. Lies in White Dresses also gave me an earworm, as its title scans exactly like Nights in White Satin by the Moody Blues, a song I remember being popular in the 1970s. The lyrics also fit in a peculiar way. But now both songs are endlessly repeating in my poor head!
April 16, 2024
In 1952 three women head to Reno to get a divorce after they wait out the six week residency requirement. A colourful bit of history wrapped into commentary about the expectations and aspirations of women at the time. Interesting female characters and stories if a little too neatly wrapped up in the end.
3.5 stars
3.5 stars
August 13, 2019
I won this book in an advanced reader giveaway. It had an interesting story but some of the character plots seemed very forced. I think the point was strong female characters helping each other and that was apparent but there was too much of everything thrown in-abusive husbands, mistresses, husband who was secretly gay, wife who may have been bi-sexual, handicapped daughter, drunken relatives, war wounded sons- too much to follow. Many times I was flipping back to figure out who was who.
I did like the character Alice. She was born with a shortened leg and I have a nephew with the same disease and I was glad to see a character who physically is different included.
The whole setting was interesting as well as the well to do wives. Oh and yes another thing thrown in Catholicism- maybe these were all taboo or hot topics for the time frame but it just made it hard to keep things straight.
I did like the character Alice. She was born with a shortened leg and I have a nephew with the same disease and I was glad to see a character who physically is different included.
The whole setting was interesting as well as the well to do wives. Oh and yes another thing thrown in Catholicism- maybe these were all taboo or hot topics for the time frame but it just made it hard to keep things straight.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 20, 2020
Quick-paced and thought-provoking read!
The characters were likeable, whether I agreed with their decisions or not. A good story about the complexities of love, family, and friendship.
The characters were likeable, whether I agreed with their decisions or not. A good story about the complexities of love, family, and friendship.
September 25, 2019
Lies in White Dresses begins in 1952. Longtime best friends Francie Meeker and Vi Carothers are traveling by train to Reno, Nevada to take the "Reno Cure." They will spend six weeks at a ranch in Reno in order to complete residency requirements for a divorce. On the train they meet a young single mother, June Samples, with her daughter Patty. June is a financially struggling abused wife, also traveling to Reno for a divorce As they settle in at the ranch something unexpected happens that changes everything.
I was interested in this book from the time I first read the description. At first it reminded me of the classic movie The Women, also about women who traveled to Reno for a divorce. That only made me more curious to read the book!
Lies in White Dresses has a wonderful collection of characters. I immediately liked Francie and Vi and their long friendship and support of each other. They are in the same position, headed for divorce, but with different backgrounds -- Vi's husband is a serial cheater, while Francie's husband is a decent man but they are incompatible. The support characters are also wonderful. June is such a sweet, genuine young woman who wants a better life but doesn't know how to start. They meet Willy, who is a bit of a vixen -- with a surprising connection to the women.
And there is Virgie. Virgie is the 12 year old daughter of the woman (also a single mother) who owns the ranch. I have to say that Virgie is my favorite character in any novel I've read this year. She reads Nancy Drew books and aspires to be a detective. She's saving money to "attend the Hector Y. Brown Private Detective Academy, which, after two weeks of intensive study, would confer on her an official certificate allowing her to work as a private eye anywhere in the state of California" (p. 14). Virgie keeps a diary where she sorts out mysteries she encounters in her day to day life. She is bright and plucky and always looking for a way to have little businesses here and there to make extra money. And she becomes a hero - although to say more would be a spoiler!
The writing in this book is beautiful. Sofia Grant does an amazing job at establishing life in 1950's Reno. I love her descriptions, like the ladies' first glimpse of the Holiday Ranch hotel:
"... The Holiday Ranch hotel was sided with white-washed shingles and trimmed with green shutters with cutouts in the shape of Christmas trees. Rustic beams hewn from the trunks of enormous trees supported the slate roof, and stripped lodgepole pine logs served as porch posts. There were wooden rocking chairs and hanging baskets of flowers and a hitching post out front, along with a decorative wishing well. The western theme continued into the parking lot on the side of the building, which was enclosed by a split-rail fence to which several sets of steer horns and a bleached white cow skull were attached. On the other side of the hotel was a garden divided by stone walkways and arches blooming with climbing roses, all arranged around a fountain, the water arcing up from an old cattle trough before splashing down into a mossy, rock-lined pool" (p. 29).
I also love the layers of the storytelling. This is a book about women's lives, about women facing adversity and making choices, about friendship. It is also a novel about the way personal history molds lives, and it is a book about love -- love between friends, between family members, and romantic love. Some of the passages in this book - especially later on - were just so beautiful and poetic that I would stop and re-read.
I absolutely loved Lies in White Dresses and recommend it highly for fans of historical fiction. This is a beautifully told and ultimately life affirming novel that is unique among other books I have read in recent years.
I was interested in this book from the time I first read the description. At first it reminded me of the classic movie The Women, also about women who traveled to Reno for a divorce. That only made me more curious to read the book!
Lies in White Dresses has a wonderful collection of characters. I immediately liked Francie and Vi and their long friendship and support of each other. They are in the same position, headed for divorce, but with different backgrounds -- Vi's husband is a serial cheater, while Francie's husband is a decent man but they are incompatible. The support characters are also wonderful. June is such a sweet, genuine young woman who wants a better life but doesn't know how to start. They meet Willy, who is a bit of a vixen -- with a surprising connection to the women.
And there is Virgie. Virgie is the 12 year old daughter of the woman (also a single mother) who owns the ranch. I have to say that Virgie is my favorite character in any novel I've read this year. She reads Nancy Drew books and aspires to be a detective. She's saving money to "attend the Hector Y. Brown Private Detective Academy, which, after two weeks of intensive study, would confer on her an official certificate allowing her to work as a private eye anywhere in the state of California" (p. 14). Virgie keeps a diary where she sorts out mysteries she encounters in her day to day life. She is bright and plucky and always looking for a way to have little businesses here and there to make extra money. And she becomes a hero - although to say more would be a spoiler!
The writing in this book is beautiful. Sofia Grant does an amazing job at establishing life in 1950's Reno. I love her descriptions, like the ladies' first glimpse of the Holiday Ranch hotel:
"... The Holiday Ranch hotel was sided with white-washed shingles and trimmed with green shutters with cutouts in the shape of Christmas trees. Rustic beams hewn from the trunks of enormous trees supported the slate roof, and stripped lodgepole pine logs served as porch posts. There were wooden rocking chairs and hanging baskets of flowers and a hitching post out front, along with a decorative wishing well. The western theme continued into the parking lot on the side of the building, which was enclosed by a split-rail fence to which several sets of steer horns and a bleached white cow skull were attached. On the other side of the hotel was a garden divided by stone walkways and arches blooming with climbing roses, all arranged around a fountain, the water arcing up from an old cattle trough before splashing down into a mossy, rock-lined pool" (p. 29).
I also love the layers of the storytelling. This is a book about women's lives, about women facing adversity and making choices, about friendship. It is also a novel about the way personal history molds lives, and it is a book about love -- love between friends, between family members, and romantic love. Some of the passages in this book - especially later on - were just so beautiful and poetic that I would stop and re-read.
I absolutely loved Lies in White Dresses and recommend it highly for fans of historical fiction. This is a beautifully told and ultimately life affirming novel that is unique among other books I have read in recent years.
September 26, 2019
Historical women's fiction set in the early 1950s when women were expected to fall in love, slip into a white dress and live happily-ever-after...but what if they don't?
I've heard of the 'Reno Cure,' before--that is, back in the 1940s and 1950s, women who required a speedy divorce headed to 'ranches' where they were await the six-week residency requirement to file for a divorce. That's exactly what transpires in Sofia Grant's LIES IN WHITE DRESSES (William Morrow, September 2019).
It's 1952 and San Francisco society matrons, Vi Carothers and Francine Meeker board a train for Reno, NV, where they will spend six weeks at the plush Holiday Ranch to contemplate their future. On the train, the bump into another woman, June Samples, traveling with her 4 year old daughter, Patty, also en route to Reno.
Everyone has their own issues to grapple with and not one of them is quite what you might expect. We meet grown children with disabilities and those under their business tycoon father's thumb, abusive situations, secrets, and sexuality all come into play.
And then one night, the unthinkable happens and the plucky daughter of hotel matron, Mrs. Swanson, takes it upon herself to play detective.
With equal measure of suspense, romance, and female friendship, a bond between women forge, working out the kinks of a bad marriage, and growing a sense of independence. Told in alternating POVs, readers are thrust into the world of the early 1950s and also each of their stories. At times, I had some difficulty teasing out the different voices and keeping characters (and their not-so-significant others straight), but that might have just been me.
The ending is a bit predictable, but if you like satisfying endings where many of the loose strings are tied up, you will relish in this one.
LIES IN WHITE DRESSES reminds me a bit of the storytelling technique of Fiona Davis meets Amber Brock's LADY BE GOOD with some thematic elements of Deb Caletti's THE SECRETS SHE KEEPS.
For all my reviews, including author interviews, please see: www.leslielindsay|Always with a book
Special thanks to WilliamMorrow for this review copy. All thoughts are my own.
I've heard of the 'Reno Cure,' before--that is, back in the 1940s and 1950s, women who required a speedy divorce headed to 'ranches' where they were await the six-week residency requirement to file for a divorce. That's exactly what transpires in Sofia Grant's LIES IN WHITE DRESSES (William Morrow, September 2019).
It's 1952 and San Francisco society matrons, Vi Carothers and Francine Meeker board a train for Reno, NV, where they will spend six weeks at the plush Holiday Ranch to contemplate their future. On the train, the bump into another woman, June Samples, traveling with her 4 year old daughter, Patty, also en route to Reno.
Everyone has their own issues to grapple with and not one of them is quite what you might expect. We meet grown children with disabilities and those under their business tycoon father's thumb, abusive situations, secrets, and sexuality all come into play.
And then one night, the unthinkable happens and the plucky daughter of hotel matron, Mrs. Swanson, takes it upon herself to play detective.
With equal measure of suspense, romance, and female friendship, a bond between women forge, working out the kinks of a bad marriage, and growing a sense of independence. Told in alternating POVs, readers are thrust into the world of the early 1950s and also each of their stories. At times, I had some difficulty teasing out the different voices and keeping characters (and their not-so-significant others straight), but that might have just been me.
The ending is a bit predictable, but if you like satisfying endings where many of the loose strings are tied up, you will relish in this one.
LIES IN WHITE DRESSES reminds me a bit of the storytelling technique of Fiona Davis meets Amber Brock's LADY BE GOOD with some thematic elements of Deb Caletti's THE SECRETS SHE KEEPS.
For all my reviews, including author interviews, please see: www.leslielindsay|Always with a book
Special thanks to WilliamMorrow for this review copy. All thoughts are my own.
October 27, 2019
It was all a lie. Women were told that if they found a man and got married in a white dress they would have a wonderful life. Francie Meeker and Vi Carothers know this lie all too well. In 1952 they are on a train to Reno, Nevada, for The Reno Cure. Reno passed a law and all women had to do to get a quickie divorce was to stay for six weeks at one of the ranches set-up for women. After six weeks of residency, they went to court and their divorces were finalized.
Francie and Vi, best friends and neighbors, never thought their lives would end up like this. They are both society matrons married to wealthy, successful men in San Francisco. They have lovely homes and children. Weren't they supposed to live happily ever after in this life they had chosen? But both women have secrets and one of these secrets will change everything.
On the train to Reno the women meet Jane Samples, a young mother with her daughter. Jane has a secret, too. The older women take Jane under their wings when they notice her threadbare clothing and realize that she has very little money. Vi invites Jane and her daughter to move into her suite at the ranch.
At the ranch they meet Virgie Swanson, the daughter of the owner. Virgie is a wannabe Nancy Drew who plans to be a detective when she grows up. Virgie is a delightful character who provides some humor in the book because she spies on the guests and decides that there are sinister things going on with them, even if there isn't.
The day after the women arrive at the ranch, tragedy strikes and the story takes a different turn. Lies in White Dresses has an interesting plot and I liked the main characters. It also introduced me to the Reno Cure, a part of history that I was unaware of. This historical novel also addresses some serious issues like abuse, both mental and physical, infidelity, homosexuality and death.
I listened to the audio version of this book and Nan McNamara was a wonderful narrator. I really enjoyed this novel and plan to read more books written by Sofia Grant.
More reviews at: https://librarygirlsguidetobookandlif...
Francie and Vi, best friends and neighbors, never thought their lives would end up like this. They are both society matrons married to wealthy, successful men in San Francisco. They have lovely homes and children. Weren't they supposed to live happily ever after in this life they had chosen? But both women have secrets and one of these secrets will change everything.
On the train to Reno the women meet Jane Samples, a young mother with her daughter. Jane has a secret, too. The older women take Jane under their wings when they notice her threadbare clothing and realize that she has very little money. Vi invites Jane and her daughter to move into her suite at the ranch.
At the ranch they meet Virgie Swanson, the daughter of the owner. Virgie is a wannabe Nancy Drew who plans to be a detective when she grows up. Virgie is a delightful character who provides some humor in the book because she spies on the guests and decides that there are sinister things going on with them, even if there isn't.
The day after the women arrive at the ranch, tragedy strikes and the story takes a different turn. Lies in White Dresses has an interesting plot and I liked the main characters. It also introduced me to the Reno Cure, a part of history that I was unaware of. This historical novel also addresses some serious issues like abuse, both mental and physical, infidelity, homosexuality and death.
I listened to the audio version of this book and Nan McNamara was a wonderful narrator. I really enjoyed this novel and plan to read more books written by Sofia Grant.
More reviews at: https://librarygirlsguidetobookandlif...
November 30, 2020
An entrancing tale of female friendship and new beginnings.Francie Meeker and Vi Carothers were sold a bill of goods: find a man,marry him in a white wedding gown, and live happily ever after.These best friends never expected to be on the train to Reno, those“lies in white dresses”shattered,their marriages over.On board the train they meet June Samples,who is fleeing an abusive husband with her daughter, and take the vulnerable young mother under their wing.The 3 decide to wait out the required six weeks together,and then they can toss their wedding bands into the Truckee River and start new lives as divorcees.But as they settle in at the ranch, one shocking moment will change their lives forever.As it brings their deceptions and fears into focus,it will also demand a reckoning with the past,and the choices that a person in love can be driven to make.Between 1900-1970,Reno was the Divorce Capital.With a 6 month residency requirement,it was accelerated than the 1 year requirement in other states.When the Great Depression hit, Nevada saw the divorce industry as a chance to fuel economic growth.The residency requirement dropped to 6 weeks, allowing for a "quickie divorce".Nevada allowed a range of reasons such as neglect, abuse, and even,insanity.People,mostly women,came to Reno from all over the nation.The trek became known as "the Reno cure".Ranches, boardinghouses, all types of residences, opened their doors for the divorce business.As per the legal requirement,you had to have a "resident witness"-someone who could testify that they had seen you every day,without a gap longer than 24 hours,for 6 weeks.Residence managers fulfilled this role.Many women found work in Reno,either by choice or necessity.For many women,this was the first time they had money of their own to manage and spend.A steady need for waitresses, laundresses, card dealers, clerks, maids,secretaries and even ranch hands meant a girl could arrive with next to nothing and earn enough to pay her way.Reno offered countless ways to amuse yourself,if you had cash to burn.By the 1970s,most states allowed “no fault"divorces,making a trek to Reno unnecessary.
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October 4, 2019Francie Meeker and her best friend, Vi Carothers, bought into the promise offered to middle-class, especially white, women in the mid-twentieth-century United States: find a man with a good career, marry young, stay at home, raise the children, keep house, and all will be well.
By 1952, despite some successes, reality has killed this dream. So at the beginning of Lies in White Dresses—the sparkling new novel by Sofia Grant, who is also the author of The Dress in the Window and The Daisy Children—Francie and Vi are boarding a train to Reno, Nevada. There, after six weeks residency, they can file for divorce.
On the train they meet a young woman, June Samples, traveling with a small child. Unlike Francie and Vi, June has almost no means of support. Vi takes a liking to the younger woman and, when they reach Reno, she invites June to share her hotel suite.
The first night, a babysitting job brings the threesome to the attention of Virgie, the hotel keeper’s daughter and a self-styled detective. Then, not long after their arrival, the local police report that Vi has drowned. Virgie is convinced she knows what happened. But who will believe a twelve-year-old girl?
Compared to medieval Europe or Han Dynasty China, the 1940s and 1950s do not seem so long ago. But as Sofia Grant makes clear in this page-turning novel, in many respects the previous century was indeed a different world.
Interview with the author at New Books in Historical Fiction.
By 1952, despite some successes, reality has killed this dream. So at the beginning of Lies in White Dresses—the sparkling new novel by Sofia Grant, who is also the author of The Dress in the Window and The Daisy Children—Francie and Vi are boarding a train to Reno, Nevada. There, after six weeks residency, they can file for divorce.
On the train they meet a young woman, June Samples, traveling with a small child. Unlike Francie and Vi, June has almost no means of support. Vi takes a liking to the younger woman and, when they reach Reno, she invites June to share her hotel suite.
The first night, a babysitting job brings the threesome to the attention of Virgie, the hotel keeper’s daughter and a self-styled detective. Then, not long after their arrival, the local police report that Vi has drowned. Virgie is convinced she knows what happened. But who will believe a twelve-year-old girl?
Compared to medieval Europe or Han Dynasty China, the 1940s and 1950s do not seem so long ago. But as Sofia Grant makes clear in this page-turning novel, in many respects the previous century was indeed a different world.
Interview with the author at New Books in Historical Fiction.
July 1, 2019
Nice book. Will probably be well-received in book discussion groups. But underwhelming overall.
Have always heard of Reno, NV referenced for divorce (and gambling), but it never once occurred to me to wonder why it had that reputation. This story explains that using the individual stories of women in bad marriages who, by law, must wait a long time to resolve their situations.
Definitely shines a light on how women still did not have much in the way of legal resources in the first half of the 20th century, including those with money. Women were perceived often as property. Women also were given venereal diseases and had to jump through all kinds of illegal hoops to receive proper care. Finally, there is the interesting inclusion of one marriage that is dissolving because the husband is gay; this highlights the difficulties of gay couples being able to live authentically in past decades. Plenty to talk about in a book group.
Definitely some nice touches, but also a bit formulaic. The down-on-her-luck young mother finds her Prince Charming. A pre-teen girl who wants to be a detective uses her secret ways to listen in on all the problems women face...and learns a lot! The bad guy gets what's coming, etc. Not warming to the cover either which is never the author's fault. Looks pleasing from afar, but then seems like a wax figure up close.
Always glad to learn new information though and this accomplishes that.
Have always heard of Reno, NV referenced for divorce (and gambling), but it never once occurred to me to wonder why it had that reputation. This story explains that using the individual stories of women in bad marriages who, by law, must wait a long time to resolve their situations.
Definitely shines a light on how women still did not have much in the way of legal resources in the first half of the 20th century, including those with money. Women were perceived often as property. Women also were given venereal diseases and had to jump through all kinds of illegal hoops to receive proper care. Finally, there is the interesting inclusion of one marriage that is dissolving because the husband is gay; this highlights the difficulties of gay couples being able to live authentically in past decades. Plenty to talk about in a book group.
Definitely some nice touches, but also a bit formulaic. The down-on-her-luck young mother finds her Prince Charming. A pre-teen girl who wants to be a detective uses her secret ways to listen in on all the problems women face...and learns a lot! The bad guy gets what's coming, etc. Not warming to the cover either which is never the author's fault. Looks pleasing from afar, but then seems like a wax figure up close.
Always glad to learn new information though and this accomplishes that.
September 28, 2019
Francie and Vi are older, well to do women who are divorcing their husbands. In order to do so they are going to Reno, Nevada, where they only have to stay for 6 weeks and they will be able to obtain their divorce. At least this was a simpler way of dissolving a marriage in the 50ies. These two old friends get on the train and head into the desert. On the way they meet a young woman (June) traveling with her daughter and they befriend her recognizing that she is running from more than just a bad marriage.
As they make their way to the hotel in Reno they form a fast bond and Vi asks June to stay with her. But soon all of their lives will change in very unexpected ways. Each will learn about acceptance, love and friendship.
This was a fascinating look at a different time when women seeking a divorce went to Nevada to establish temporary residency to get a quickie divorce. Their long stays would allow them to establish friendships and share secrets that they would not in their every day lives.
The main characters are complicated and interesting. There is a subplot involving the daughter of the owner of the hotel who wants to be a detective. I didn’t understand this at all and to me it was a distraction that did nothing to add to the story. In all truth any time that aspect of the story came up I just skimmed over until it ended as it rather annoyed me. The rest of the book I enjoyed.
As they make their way to the hotel in Reno they form a fast bond and Vi asks June to stay with her. But soon all of their lives will change in very unexpected ways. Each will learn about acceptance, love and friendship.
This was a fascinating look at a different time when women seeking a divorce went to Nevada to establish temporary residency to get a quickie divorce. Their long stays would allow them to establish friendships and share secrets that they would not in their every day lives.
The main characters are complicated and interesting. There is a subplot involving the daughter of the owner of the hotel who wants to be a detective. I didn’t understand this at all and to me it was a distraction that did nothing to add to the story. In all truth any time that aspect of the story came up I just skimmed over until it ended as it rather annoyed me. The rest of the book I enjoyed.
October 3, 2019
In the 1950's, women came (or were sent) to Reno, where after establishing six weeks of residency, they could file for divorce from their husbands. Best friends Francie Meeker and Vi Carothers are taking the "Reno cure" when the fairy tale story of "find a man, marry him as a virgin and live happily ever after" that their lives were supposed to follow falls apart. En-route they encounter June Samples and her daughter Patty, also headed to Reno, being ordered back to the part of the train where they (the poor) belong. In their first acts of independence, flouting men's rules for their lives, Francie and Vi take pair in and make them a part of their group; waiting for residency, waiting for freedom. However, once in Reno, the task of waiting becomes complicated with abusive husbands, husband's girlfriends and death. As the women try to find a path forward, they have to deal with the consequences of their past choices and determine if they love enough to make better ones. I enjoyed this book and the interesting insight into women's lives before the Equal Rights Amendment was proposed. (Did you know that it STILL has not be ratified by all 50 states?) The ending wraps up neatly, which is nice for those of us who still crave happy endings, even though they are "lies between book covers."
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