THE BLONDE By Anna Godbersen, Reimagining the Life of Marilyn Monroe

EverBeautiful.com once again welcomes Harriet Lesser to its pages. Ms Lesser is an award winning journalist who specializes in political and social satire. She has written for local and national publications and readers may be most familiar with her work at The South Shore Record, The Nassau Herald, Newsday and The Brooklyn College Vanguard Blog. (And, by the way, she is also my mother.) Ms. Lesser received an advance, complimentary copy of The Blonde, a gripping reimagining of the life of Marilyn Monroe to review for the readers of EverBeautiful.com.  

The Blonde by Anna Godbersen

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Looking for a terrific book about politics, international intrigue, movie stars and S-E-X? Relax, we’ve got the perfect  summer read for you! Author Anna Godbersen, known for her best selling series Luxe and Bright Young Things, has written a new stand-alone novel titled The Blonde.  The heroine of this suspense-driven fictional thriller, is Marilyn Monroe, beloved of the movie going public – as well as some of the most powerful men in the world including a President of the United States.

The Blonde centers on Ms. Monroe’s rise from Hollywood wannabe to international sex symbol and her alleged love affair with John Kennedy. Ms. Godbersen follows the relationship from beginning to tragic end using an unorthodox but believable mix of fact and fiction.  This is no Roman à clef.  Fake names are not used to protect the guilty. We get to meet the characters up close and in a very personal way.

In keeping with the “yes, real names PLEASE” content, the novel presents a supporting cast of luminaries, including Frank Sinatra, Clark Gable and his wife, actress Kay Williams, Peter Lawford, Yves Montand and, from the world of politics, President Kennedy’s siblings, Bobby Kennedy and Pat Lawford, Lyndon Baines Johnson,  J. Edgar Hoover and two of Ms. Monroe’s husbands, baseball great Joe DiMaggio and Pulitzer Prize winning playwright Arthur Miller. Jacqueline Kennedy is mentioned briefly, mainly through the comments of her sister-in-law Pat Lawford.  The unusual approach, admirably carried off by the author, focuses on the movers and shakers of the time, and includes an unexpected appearance by a colorful mob boss.

Known for her popular young adult novels, Ms. Godbersen makes an outstanding debut with The Blonde, which is aimed at a more mature readership.  Her research is beyond impressive, her imagery impeccable, and she has the ability to keep the reader’s interest throughout.  Like the real life Marilyn, the book is never boring.  It will hold your attention from bed cover to bed cover.  If you revel in the unexpected; are lured by suspense and relish romance, you’ll love The Blonde.

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Unlike the real Marilyn, who was actually a brunette, the book is a natural for a movie and, in fact, is currently being developed by Paramount for a film adaptation. Who would you choose to play Marilyn?  How about John, Frank, Clark etc.?

Let us know what you think in the comments below and we’ll share it with our readers.

About The Author

Anna Godbersen, author of The Blonde, is the New York Times bestselling author of The Luxe and Bright Young Things. Anna grew up in Berkeley, California, graduated from Barnard College, and lives and writes in Brooklyn, New York. For more information please visit http://www.annagodbersen.com and follow the author on Facebook and Twitter.

Want to read The Blonde? It comes out in hardcover on May 13th.  Reserve your copy in advance here:

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