Another great book from Beatriz Williams! The story is told from two different people, at two different times in history. The first one being during World War II. Lulu has been assigned to write about the Duke and Duchess of Windsor for a magazine. They just happen to be governing the Bahamas after he abdicated from the throne on England in order to marry. While in the Bahamas, Lulu meets many interesting people. One person, in particular, seems very interesting and mysterious, Mr. Thorpe.

The second story is told by Elfriede, during World War I. Elfriede has been sent away by her husband's wealthy to get healthy after she suffers from postpartum depression. After being there for years, she meets Wilfred, who is so different than her husband. However, when her husband becomes seriously ill, his family brings her back to help care for him.

Of course, eventually these two stories collide together to become one fantastic story.

The Golden Hour opens in London in 1943 with Lulu trying to find her husband, Benedict, who has been captured in Germany. Her meeting with a contact does not go as planned and she has to run for her life. The first chapter was one of the best opening chapters I’ve read in ages—and I read 2-3 books per week. Based on that suspenseful chapter and the book’s description, I couldn’t wait to read the rest.

Like many historical novels set in the World War II era, this book has multiple timelines focusing on different women. In 1941, Lulu works as a society writer who needs to get close to the Duchess of Windsor so that she can fill her column and get paid. The author’s research on Nassau in the early 1940s is impressive and the writing is terrific, with a level of detail that makes you feel like you are there and feeling the summer heat with Lulu. Elfriede’s timeline begins in 1900 at a sanatorium in Switzerland, where she is being treated for what sounds like postpartum depression.

As the book goes along, you begin to see how the timelines relate to one another. The pace is very slow, however, and I almost stopped reading about halfway through. I admired the writing and technical complexity of the book, though, so I kept going to see how the author would bring the timelines together. The pace starts picking up a bit around the 75% mark but then hurries to the end, which seemed rushed. Also, I thought the romantic relationships for both Elfriede and Lulu seemed to be based largely on proximity.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for providing me with an eARC. My opinion is my own.

I was excited to start The Golden Hour by Beatriz Williams. I love dual time period stories and WW II is my favorited genre. Add English royalty and this looked to be a great read. However, it was Elfriede’s story I was drawn to more than Lulu’s story. I felt the story moved too slowly and too much description.....sometimes it was difficult to keep the characters straight. Make sure to keep a character list.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and William Morrow in exchange for an honest review.

Linda's Book Obsession Reviews "The Golden Hour" by Beatriz Williams, William Morrow, July 2019

WOW! Beatriz Williams, Author of "The Golden Hour" has beautifully written and vividly described this intriguing, captivating, intense, riveting, suspenseful and page-turning novel. The Genres for this novel are Fiction and Historical Fiction. There are basically two timelines in this story that do connect. One is in Switzerland in 1900, and the other is in 1941 in the Bahamas. Both do involve a ginger-haired Mr. Thorpe. The author describes her colorful cast of characters as complex and complicated. In this amazing novel, there are twists and turns, loyalty and betrayal, good and evil, danger and murder.

When Leonora "Lulu" Randolph, who has some secrets of her own, arrives in the Bahamas in 1941, she is determined to get all the information that she can on the Duke and Duchess of Windsor. As a journalist, it appears that American Readers love to see the Royal family and their life. To get this information, it appears that "Lulu" will have to become part of the social group and circle.  This is during World War Two, and there are spies, diversity in the classes, and possible treason. When there is a murder, there are all sorts of speculation. As Lulu investigates, there is more danger and suspense.

 I would highly recommend this intriguing and intense novel for readers who enjoy historical fiction.

One little story involves a.king giving up his crown for love. Nothing is what you think it is with lies and cover ups are found out! Trying to spare anyone getting hurt more cover up happens. Love can not solve everything but what we will do for love people lived untangling and trying to not reveal. Characters are there just trying to live their lifes. Plot is wonderful and you won't regret reading this book!😔 Feel free to feel all emotions! The history that went into this book is wonderful and was so much research done to get this right. Just another story of WWII that needs to be told.

I always look forward to the release of a new historical fiction novel by Beatriz Williams and The Golden Hour did not disappoint. This book delves into life in Nassau at the beginning of WW11 as well as drifting back in time 40 years prior. Two seemingly separate tales blend together into a satisfying conclusion. Now I want to read more about the infamous Duke and Duchess of Windsor. Luckily the author had several titles to recommend in her afterword. Read and enjoy!

In December 1943, Leonora (Lulu) Thorpe travels to London to meet with a representative from the British War Office regarding her missing husband, who was captured as a spy while on his way to London and is being held in a German prison. She implores them to send a rescue party for him, or to let her go and try to free him, attempting to use information about the Duke and Duchess of Windsor as leverage, but her attempt at blackmail backfires. Set against the glamour of Nassau under the governorship of the Duke of Windsor, and full of historical figures and events, this is the perfect beach or vacation read! Certain to be a hit with readers who enjoyed Summer Wives.

Once again, Beatriz Williams made my day!!! I constantly sell her books to my historical fiction customers. Look forward to each release.

The Golden Hour by Beatriz Williams follows American widow Lulu as she embarks on a journey to WWII-era Nassau, Bahamas to report on the Duke and Duchess of Windsor for a society magazine. As she embeds herself in their social circle she meets Benedict Thorpe, a charming scientist she ends up falling for. As Lulu uncovers secrets and lies surrounding the Windsors she ends up on a journey across Europe where she learns more about Benedict and his family history.

WWII-era historical fiction is always one of my go-to genres, so I love when I read a book that has a unique spin on that time period. The Golden Hour was such a wonderful book full of intriguing characters that I couldn't wait to learn more about. I usually love when books are told from multiple POVs and in different times and this time was no exception as I was equally invested and interested in each section's story. My only complaint was that I felt certain story lines had to move too quickly to fit everything in, particularly at the end.. Despite that, this is a beautifully written story that sucks you in from the beginning and I absolutely loved it. This is only my second novel by Williams but I know I will be reading more by her.

4/5 stars

I received an advanced digital copy of this book from the author, Netgalley.com and HarperCollins Publishers William Morrow. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This was my first Beatriz Williams novel. I was ill prepared for it, to say the least. The setting of WWII is a backdrop to the emotional events that transpire with the pages. Strong female characters are at the core of the novel, with visual details that make the story all the more real.

5 out of 5 stars. Highly recommended. Add to your TBR list now.

Beatriz Williams is a magician when it comes to writing scenes that are so real. Williams' writing can make a reader imagine being part of the story. I am not sure there is another writer that does a better job describing settings, characters, and plots. The writing has a flow to it that makes this book rich and made me want to keep reading and reading.

I was not familiar with Nassau, Bahamas before, during or after WW2. I found this setting especially fascinating since I have this area of the world multiple times. I found the story covering several generations to be one that kept my interest.

I had tired of WW2 books of late but I really enjoyed this read. The war(s) are more background to the story of intertwined love stories set in different continents and eras. I also loved how the title the Golden Hour was pervasive through the book with many glowing, steamy love scenes that were never predictable or boring. The ending was a total surprise and I loved all the characters. I was glad the story of the duke and duchess was not central to the story but that is probably why I was interested in the book in the first place. Would recommend to a friend. Thanks for the opportunity to preview.

*Read as a Netgalley ARC*
Truly, it is hard for me to put into words how much I enjoyed and reveled in The Golden Hour by Beatriz Williams. Beatriz is my favorite historical fiction author, hands down, and I am making my way through all of her novels. I feel that if I read her novels closely together, I could recognize nuggets from other books in TGH.
Her novels take you back in time. They are so richly written, with soft and pleasant descriptions. You fall in love with the couples and when they experience heartbreak, it feels as if it’s real life for you. A must read for historical fiction fans.

With each book, Beatriz Williams just gets better and better! And The Golden Hour by Beatriz Williams is probably the best yet! Told from the perspectives of Elfriede, who we first meet as a broken, young mother, and Lulu, the feisty social reporters enter in Nassau, this is a story ultimately about the power of love, and love in all its forms. This is historical fiction and women’s fiction wrapped in one breathtaking package. Set before and after both World Wars, examining the effect of the wars on those who lived through them, and mixed in with that is the abdicated Duke of Windsorsnd his wife, Wallis Simpson, now Governor of Nassau, along with the racial history of Nassau during the early 20th century. Ms. Williams is a master storyteller, weaving a tapestry of a tale, a kind of magic carpet ride through history and into characters lives who become beloved as the reader gets to know them throughout the book. I truly did not want this book to end and I miss Elfriede, Lulu, Johann, Margaret, Benedict, Wilfred, Jack, and Maggie already. But here’s hoping with such a large cast that there are many more wonderful stories to come!

I'd like to thank NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers and William Morrow Imprint for providing an ARC of this wonderful book. The Golden Hour is set in the Bahamas during World War II. The main character, Lulu is sent to the Bahamas to report on the social goings-on of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor. She meets a handsome stranger and the story evolves from there. Actually, there are two stories featuring strong women, but you aren't sure how they go together until closer to the end of the book. I really enjoyed this book and think you will too.

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!

“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 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?

“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.”

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

While I enjoyed this book for the most part and I always like Williams' writing style, there are a couple of things about her books in general that are getting tiresome for me, which were evident while reading this one. The alternating timeline trend in historical fiction is getting really old and gimmicky, in my opinion. I've really enjoyed it in some of Williams' books (A Hundred Summers), but it's not necessary in every book, including this one. I also feel like Williams overuses the trope "I love you so I have to have your babies!" too much, especially in this one where it was dangerous and life-threatening for the character to have babies.

The Golden Hour follows the lives of two women in dual timelines. Lulu is a gossip column reporter nestled in the exclusive circles of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor during WWII in the Bahamas. Elfriede is a German Baron’s wife prior to WWI who encounters an unforgettable Englishman while in a Swiss sanatorium. When Lulu’s new husband is captured and imprisoned in Nazi Germany she is determined to rescue him. How these two women are related plays out in a complex narrative of intrigue, espionage, and odds-conquering love.

Historical fiction heavyweight Beatriz Williams once again hits all the mark in her latest work. The Golden Hour is resplendent with portrayals of exotic locations and complex characters. Historical facts are interwoven into fictional events in an authentic and well thought out approach. The book takes a leisurely pace yet absorbs the reader within its intricate plot. Recommended for readers of historical fiction and British royalty enthusiasts.

Full disclosure- An ARC of this book was provided via NetGalley in return for this review.

Lulu Thorpe is a woman on a mission to find her husband who has gone missing. As you follow her quest, she recounts her time in the Bahamas during the early 1940s. As a journalist, she was sent to write about the Duke and Duchess of Windsor- a.k.a. the Governor of the Bahamas. Lulu recounts all the people she met and how she came to be "in the know" of the world she was living in, relaying all the details in her own column. She gives you the front row seat she had for the scandals and drama. You're introduced to a host of characters- especially the one who captured her heart.

The book also tells the story of Elfreide. She's connected to Benedict and as her story unfolds, you learn how. Elfriede's story is one that will break your heart and give you hope. You share her losses and rejoice in her happiness. You find yourself rooting for this underdog.

I liked the book, though I felt the story pace was slow. There were parts of the book that I was more interested in than others. I really gravitated to Elfriede's story. I was more interested and invested in her story. Through her depressions and her marriages. While Lulu had an interesting story to tell, I preferred Elfriede's.

4.5 stars - Wow! Ms. Williams is so good at books that switch back and forth to different time periods, and while that can be confusing at first, it all becomes clear in time. Characters that are well developed and so believable. Some easily to love (esp. Wilfred) and some easy to hate (that would be the despicable Helga!). While the book did have some slow parts, and when I couldn’t see how all this would weave together in the end - well, weave together it did, and in a really remarkable way.
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