Steven Rowley's novel hit me with a wallop! I cherished the memory of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and knew by the book cover that it would be a special kind of story. James Smale, a young writer from Ithaca, NY, is called to the Doubleday offices about his novel submission and finds himself in a conference room with Jackie. James cannot believe his sudden good fortune and can't wait to tell his partner, Daniel. They live in Hell's Kitchen, and Daniel is a struggling actor/director in theater. They are a typical couple of young people trying to achieve goals in the artistic mecca of New York.

James has a problematic relationship with his mother. James's novel needs an ending, and Jackie's counsel about finishing the book and his relationship with his mother becomes the narrative arc. It wasn't immediately clear to me why James and his mother had a fragile connection. James was afraid of losing her love and tried hard to soften her cold reaction to his work.

Traveling the steep path, James took to complete his story was a heartfelt read. I loved every detail about Jackie and how she helped James find his voice. The Editor is a lovely, emotional read and well worth a new publication.

Thank you to the author, G.P. Putnam's Sons, and NetGalley for this ARC and the chance to respond.

NYC, 1990’s.
An editor in a big publishing company had taken an interest in James Smale’s novel and would want to publish it. Upon arriving at the office, James, to his shock, came to realize that the editor was none other than ‘Jackie F*ing Kennedy’, as his boyfriend, Daniel, put it. But little did he know, that by editing his semi-autobiographical novel, Jackie F*ing Kennedy would open a can of worms that his mom had been buried deep down for a long time.

Jackie was drawn to his novel about a mother and her son, but she didn’t like the ending. She felt like there was something missing; it didn’t feel authentic and honest, and was padded with ‘fictional details.’ So she suggested a rework. “Hard truths can drive people apart. But great art can bring them back together.” Which one will it be for James?

James feared what he had to do to rewrite the ending, because it meant revisiting the past, something he’d rather leave it as it is – the past. Moreover, his relationship with his mom had turned lukewarm, and had been so for many years and the discomfort of it all was their new ‘normal’. It was better not to stir the pot.

The relationship between Jacqueline and James was explored, but I personally found what lay in the heart of the novel was the frayed relationship between James and his mom. I felt James’s frustration with his mother’s lack of enthusiasm towards his recent success, and her lack of interest in his well-being. She wasn’t at all behaving like what a mother normally would. I also felt his dread when he knew he had to confront this animosity of his mom towards him. She had been like that for years. When will it stop?

The author’s writing made me feel all of James’s conflicting emotions - ‘I need to do this’ vs ‘No, I shouldn’t’ or ‘I don’t want to’, and when he wanted to, his mom would distant herself. I mean, WHAAAT? WHHHHY???

The whole thing felt like a ticking time bomb waiting to explode. And it not only affected his work, but his relationship with David too. On one hand, he was enjoying his new-found friendship (if one may call that) with Jackie and trying to savor every moment, but on the other hand, he had a deadline to meet and a ‘gargantuan’ task that he was hesitant to complete.

But James was such a character. In fact, in was his humor that I enjoyed most in the story. His funny observations of people, his insecurities, wild imaginations and his witty comebacks that I found myself chuckling a few times.

Don’t expect a lot about Jackie Kennedy though, or you’d be left disappointed. THIS BOOK ISN’T ABOUT HER AT ALL. This book is one about the hardships of motherhood, mother-son relationship, the expectations of being a mother, love and forgiveness. Why was Jackie Kennedy in the story, I’m not sure, but maybe because she was an icon, who was also a mother, a reminder that mothers do what mothers do, they experience what mothers experience, no matter your social standing - the struggles, challenges and expectations. Mothers make mistakes, they’re imperfect, but their love, always, and forever will be, unconditional.

I wanted so much to love this story, but felt character development and heartfelt moments a little lacking. I'd love to have more in-depth look into some other characters besides James and his mom, like maybe David and James's father. I felt it also lacked emotional build-up, some tension, the conflict of emotions that the mom had to go through before she made her choice, or even some sort of fight which made the dad give James's mom the ultimatum.

That said, kudos to the author for being able to write about motherhood with such candor and humor.

A decent read overall. Thank you Netgalley and Putnam for providing a free eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are mine.

I could not put this book down! I am intrigued to know more, and i look forward to reading more from Mr. Rowley! What a treat. Thank you to the publisher for this ebook.

The Editor is the journey of struggling writer, James Smale, and his novel exploring the relationship he has with his mother.

I had originally picked up this book when I was drawn in by the story of a struggling writer coming to terms with his past. However, the emergence of Jackie as his editor really took this book to another level. Initially I wasn’t sure if a famous editor was key to the message of this book, however, reading about Jackie as a person in her professional and home life really added another element that took this book to another level.

One of the themes The Editor examined was the struggle James had with his writing. He explored writing as a solitary endeavor and an immersion into another world, which in his case created conflict since his book was based on coming to terms with his relationship with his mother. Another theme that emerged was making peace with your past—the past as it was and not necessarily the past that you want it to be.

Overall this book was well written. I found myself marveling in the use of words such as “sproing” (not a typo!) and the use of the Brazilian word “Saudade” as a nostalgia or recognition that the thing we are longing for can’t be returned (if it ever existed). There were also parallels in his use of the title of his book “Ithaca” in a coming home, and its fall-inspired cover.

I throughly enjoyed reading The Editor and recommend it for anyone who enjoyed historical fiction, exploring the past, or who just really enjoys a witty read.

Set in New York City in the 1990’s, James Smale, a mid-thirties unpublished writer, finally catches a break after ten years of attempts, or perhaps twenty-five years if you count the years before college. An editor that might be interested in publishing his latest book has contacted him. He’s arrived at the publishing house, Doubleday, knowing he has an appointment with the editor, but not knowing which editor he has an appointment this, mistakenly believing the woman he was told to ask for is the editor, and nervously chattering away to the woman who walked him to the conference room, where he is left to wait until the editor arrives.

And then the door opens, a woman enters, but her back is to him, so he has yet to realize just who this woman is. And then she turns toward him.

’It’s you. I almost say it out loud.’

‘She’s immediately recognizable. Her posture, her eyes – there is no mistaking her. Of course I know who she is. But that’s an understatement. I try to breathe. Have I not been breathing? In fact, it’s perhaps the biggest understatement in the history of understating things…

‘Because everyone knows who she is.’

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.

’James, I’m the editor who liked your book.’

‘My entire life I’ve been waiting to hear someone at a New York publishing house say these words. But in the thousands of ways I may have imagined this moment, not one time did it look anything like this.

Of course, as his editor, she has changes she wants to his semi-autobiographical novel The Quarantine, and they require him dealing, facing, some potential familial conflicts. An ending more in line with his personal truths, the ones he has yet to face, yet to come to terms with. And, of course, he is reluctant to face them. He know the news won’t impress his mother, she’s already objected to how he has portrayed the mother in his story. And he still doesn’t know everything.

This was a nice, charming read – although with plenty of background drama, with family members as well as with James’ live-in boyfriend, from keeping it from being overly twee.

A wonderful diversion for me, a little something to add a little balance to our days of ‘quarantine.’


Pub Date: 30 June 2020

Many thanks for the ARC provided by PENGUIN GROUP Putnam / G.P. Putnam’s Sons

James Smale is a writer in 1990s NYC. Little does he know that his editor will turn out to be Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, who was drawn to James’ manuscript about his struggling relationship with his mother.

As the story unfolds, we see a relationship blossom between James and Jackie. Jackie becomes a guiding force who encourages James to dig deeper - to give more depth to his mother. In doing so, James must confront his relationship with his mother, who disapproves of the novel.

It was so fun to read about Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis (even fictionalized...is that a word?). I didn’t have a relationship with my mother, but if I did, I’d want her to be Stephen Rowley's version of Jackie.

With a refreshing sense of humor, a really cool and original plot (though a bit wordy at times), and an ending so satisfying, I cannot wait to recommend this to friends!

An incredibly touching novel about motherhood, life, and forgiveness. Masterfully crafted, the plot weaves together author James Smale’s effort to publish his first novel and his own personal growth through the process. The surprise yoda-like catalyst for this — wait for it — is his editor: Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. I admit to fearing the book would be a fictionalized history of Jackie and her glamorous life; however it was anything but. This book celebrates Jackie’s work as an editor, and while James is the main character, Jackie provides the stimulus, advice, and motivation to make his work great.

As The Editor winds through the editing process of James’ Ithaka — a loosely fictionalized story about James and his mother — the interplay between author and editor, fiction and life is brilliantly done. With clear, concise, and humorous writing, carefully crafted sentences, and excellent, in-depth characters, it was a real pleasure to read.

As an interesting aside in these virus-infested times — while we don’t get treated to any excerpts from Ithaka, we do know that the action occurs during a 40-day quarantine (!) that forces mother and son to confront all of their issues. So perhaps we can look forward to some valuable personal and relationship insights from our own shelter-in-place experiences :-)

I have always loved everything Jackie O, so there was absolutely zero chance of me not moving this to the top of my TBR pile. I went into it expecting a light hearted, fun read with a dash of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis's grace. . . NOPE! This book is about identity, motherhood, and hard feelings that expose your heart. It may not have been the fun read that I anticipated, but it sure did make me think. I have a lot of respect for books like this.