At first glance, it would seem that Hollywood icon Grace Kelly led a charmed life - first as an award-winning actress, and later as the Princess of Monaco - before her tragic demise in a car accident in 1982. Grace, who was not only extraordinarily beautiful, but wildly talented too, captivated audiences both on the screen and in person during the 1950s, acting alongside big-name stars such as Clark Gable, Gary Cooper, Cary Grant, Bing Crosby, and James Stewart, and conducting illicit affairs with many of them throughout her short career. However, when Grace was at the top of her acting game, she gave up a promising future in film at the young age of 26 when she accepted a proposal of marriage from Prince Rainier of Monaco, leaving behind her life in America to become a European princess.

Kerri Maher, author of The Kennedy Debutante, pulls back the curtain on the life of Grace Kelly in her new novel, The Girl in White Gloves. Grace, born into a life of privilege with a flawless face and figure, was often stereotyped as an icy, untouchable blonde, but this accusation couldn't be further from the truth. Maher shows the magnanimous heart of Grace Kelly, and shines light on the struggles she faced in her climb to the top of the acting world. With a family that was less than supportive, and a string of passionate, yet short-lived, relationships, Grace struggled to find her place in a world that didn't know and wouldn't accept the real Grace Kelly. Perhaps even more tragic are the sacrifices she made in marrying the Prince of Monaco, essentially giving up any hope of ever living a life true to herself outside of her husband's whim and demands.

The triumph of The Girl in White Gloves is in how it vividly portrays the arc of Grace Kelly's short, yet eventful, life. Opening when Grace is a rising star, making a name for herself on the stages of Broadway, and then following her out to the Hollywood where she becomes an award-winning actress, this novel intersperses glimpses of Grace's later life as an unhappy Princess of Monaco, trapped in a life she doesn't want with a man she no longer loves. This writing tactic portends so devastatingly the future that awaits Grace - a shining star smothered and snuffed out before she had even began to fully live and enjoy her life. There's so much heart and so much sadness packed into this novel that readers can't help but walk away feeling like the world was unduly robbed of Grace Kelly's talent and beauty - first through her impulsive marriage, and later by her untimely death.

Recommended for those who love novelizations of real people's lives, those who are fans of the Golden Age of Hollywood. and, of course, for anyone who has ever been intrigued by the triumphant, yet tragic life of the one and only Grace Kelly.

I received a free ARC of this book through Netgalley. I didn't know anything about Grace Kelly other than she had acted in some movies and that she had married a prince. This really engaging book is told from her POV in her own life with dealing with her family and becoming an actress and then becoming a Princess. Such a life! I looked her up online after reading to read more about her life and death. This book was very hard to put down.

Every girl’s dream to be a princess. Grace Kelly was the epitome of a princess. She was stylish, elegant and full of grace. I thought the story was really good even with the slight liberties the author took. It was informative and I learned some things I didn’t know. Definitely recommend!
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy

Step into the glamorous life of a movie star tuned princess in this novel of Grace Kelly. Equal parts struggle and success as Grace tries to find her way to try the life and the family she years for.

The Girl in White Gloves is an interesting fictional portrayal of Grace Kelly's life. With alternating chapters, readers learn about Kelly's childhood family dynamics, her introduction to acting, and later her marriage to Prince Rainier, among many other aspects of her life. I would certainly recommend this book to fans of Marie Benedict's recent historical fiction novels.

When I saw that Kerri Maher had a new book about Grace Kelly, I knew I had to read it. This author had made the Kennedy’s alive and relatable in the Kennedy Debutante and I wanted to read her story of pretend and real Royalty. Maher has kept her string of successes alive with the book. Being decades younger than Grace Kelly, I knew her mainly by reputation and by her fairy tale marriage and the exploits of her three children.. Now I feel I know the girl and the woman inside her. A great read.

I thoroughly enjoyed this peek into the life of Grace Kelly. It’s written in such a way that you actually feel as if you’re spying on this icon. The story felt intimate and almost too real. I loved every page of it!

The story goes back and forth between Grace’s struggle to make it on Broadway and her life after she’s left Hollywood behind for life in the palace in Monaco.

Grace spends so much time chasing after approval and dreams. Unfortunately, the two don’t always compliment each other. Her family, and more importantly, her father, don’t approve of her ambition to be a Broadway star. But she’s determined to have it all… Family, friends and a successful acting career. If only the men in her life would agree to let her have them!

If I was going to sum up this book in one word, it would be “brilliant.” Like all great historical fiction, it blurred the line between fact and fairytale and has made me hungry to read more about it’s subject. In this case, I want to watch every movie referenced in the story and find out more about the real life of Grace Kelly.

I recommend The Girl in White Gloves to anyone with even a passing interest in Grace Kelly!

Is it weird to say this story was both sensational and sad?

Who doesn't want to be a princess, swept up by her prince charming? But at what cost does being a princess come when you are already famous, a Hollywood sweetheart, who is independent and strong and does what she wants and suddenly are expected to be meek and subservient?

Even though I knew most of this story, and yes, a lot of it is fictionalized, this was still so interesting and so fascinating and yes, so sad.

Truly a great novel that I am glad I took a chance on and took time out to read and enjoy. It was well written and well portrayed.

I enjoyed this book but kept feeling things were left out or jumped with no explanation so I came back and looked at the download and it is an excerpt of the book. Usually I am fine with that, and I realize this is a free book it is just I don’t think the editing for the excerpt was really that good which made it hard to follow. I may buy this book in the future just to read it through. I enjoyed what was given and am sureI would like the full book even more.

Even after all these years have passed, Grace Kelly’s life still remains a source of interest, curiosity, and speculation among readers.

Kerri Maher’s novel is interesting and enjoyable. It’s admirable that she acknowledges that she has speculated about many aspects of Grace’s life, has also adjusted the timelines in certain cases, and advises readers to keep in mind that her account is a novel, with some fictionalized characters and thoughts, and that it is not a biography.

As a novel, this book held my interest and I would recommend it to readers. It genuinely reflects the times in which she lived and provides a glimpse into Hollywood as it existed in the 50’s and 60’s. It also portrays the personal struggles Grace faced as both an actress and a princess.

Thank you to author Kerri Maher, Berkley, an imprint of Penguin Random House, and to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read the ARC of this book.

The author has shown that the seemingly glamorous life of Grace Kelly was in reality a poignant tale of insecurity, sacrifices, loneliness and unhappiness. Despite that, she was determined to find her place in the world of the arts, which she loved. I think it was a good depiction of the times in general.

This book was an interesting take on the life of one of America’s most favorite legendary actresses, Grace Kelly. The author immerses us in her home life with her controlling parents. We experience all her struggles to break free and forge her own life. Through her movies and many loves Grace tries to become a strong woman and live a full life. She marries her prince and hopes to live happily ever after but she never truly succeeds. The confinements set in her marriage contract limit her happiness and her ability to find a purpose in her life. The author describes the time and atmosphere to perfection. #TheGirlinWhiteGloves #KerriMaher #NetGalley

I really enjoyed this book that captured the time when everyone saw Grace Kelly’s life as the ultimate fairytale. Of course, it was not. Maher clearly has done a tremendous amount of research and despite the fact that she alerts the reader to the fact that she has added and manipulated the details, it still rings remarkably true to those of us who remember that time, before Disney, when we had our own Princess Grace.

Her film career, though short, was memorable. Her romances before Rainier were quite well documented in biographies. This novel provides just the right tone to send many of us twirling into memories of that magical time when film royalty became a true princess

Thanks Netgalley for giving me such a delightful trip to my own memories.

This book was received as an ARC from Berkley Publishing Group in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

I am familiar with the work of Grace Kelly but of how well The Girl in White Gloves was written knowing how difficult her life was because on the big screen she made it seem that her life was glamorous and perfect all throughout her entire career. Growing up in a rich neighborhood, Grace had a lot of expectations from her family through the Hollywood screen then risking it all for royalty including leaving her family behind and risking her marriage. Just because materialistically you have it all, does not mean that you are the happiest and she later realizes that all she needs in her life are people by her side that will always be with her so she is never alone therefore she will be happier. Every page I learned something new about the Hollywood Glamorous Lifestyle and I always envied all that had everything there ever was until I learned the true meaning of life. It's not about what you have but about what you have done and who was by your side.

We will consider adding this title to our Historical Fiction collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.