These two authors have written a beautiful novel that will take you on a very emotional trip. It makes you laugh, cry and even do a few eye rolls at the antics of the two sisters in the story. Told with such realism that you will feel you are with them every step of the way.

Quote from book:
They can talk of the companionship of men, the
splendor of the sun, the softness of moonlight, the
beauty of music, but give me a willow chair on a quiet
deck, the world with its worries and noise and
prejudices lost in distance, the glare of the sun, the cold
light of the moon blotted out by the dense blackness of
night. Let me rest rocked gently by the rolling sea, in a
nest of velvety darkness, my only light the soft
twinkling of the myriads of stars in the quiet sky above;
my music, the round of the kissing waters, cooling the
brain and easing the pulse: my companionship,
dreaming my own dreams. Give me that and I have
happiness in its perfection. (I think this is beautiful)

This is the story of two sisters who seem to dislike each other very much. A grandmother who wants them to be close again. A trip of a lifetime to do a favor for their grandmother who is dying. Two sisters who are as different as the stars in the night skies. But they are so alike also. In ways neither of them want to admit. Clara and Maddie are the granddaughters of Violet. Violet has lead a very good life but is at its end and wants to have some closure before she dies. She sends Clara and Maddie on a voyage to deliver three letter for her. Each has a meaning. Each tells a story. Each will make you cry.

As you travel with Clara and Maddie you will learn a lot about each. From the things they love to do to the fears they each have. Clara, who is an aspiring artist, is engaged to be married but is it meant to be? Does she really love him and is he worthy of her love? Charles Hancock is a very wealthy man but he is somewhat of a jerk in my opinion. I didn't like him. Then we have Daniel who I liked and didn't like at the same time. At first I was very suspicious of him and then I got to know him. I kind of like him after all. So does Maddie who is a writer and wants to be a journalist and write for the newspapers. Being a woman at that time in history made it so hard..

The trip these two young ladies take will change their lives forever. The people they meet tell them a story about their grandmother that they had no idea about. This book takes you from the US through Europe, Italy and Austria. Then on the Hindenburg to come back home. When tragedy strikes you will find yourself again holding your breath as you await the outcome of these two sisters.

This book made me do some pretty hard crying but it also made me laugh in several places. Hearing the crazy things these two sisters went through was both amusing in part and sad. Meeting family they never knew about and some they did know about was a very emotional experience. The sights they saw and enjoyed. Getting caught in the pouring rain. Being so stubborn. Loving each other made it all worth it.

This is a wonderful book. A story that will touch your heart. It's beautifully written and full of so much emotion. It's just one of those that you are happy you read when you turn that last page. It's that good!

Thank you #NetGalley, #HazelGaynorHeatherWebb, #WilliamMorrowPaperbacks for this ARC. This is my own true feelings about this book.

5/5 HUGE stars and a very high recommendation. Grab this one.

Violet, too ill to travel in 1937, has organized a journey to Europe for granddaughters Clara and Maddy to deliver good-bye letters to the meaningful people in her life of 40 years ago. The sisters, once inseparable as young girls, have barely spoken since their father’s death over a year ago. Co-authors Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb have done a superb job of defining the personalities of Clara and Maddy, using poignant memories and images from their childhood and complexities of their adult desires, inhibitions, and fears. Clara, cautious, pessimistic, rules and schedules dictate her days, is a promising artist. Maddy, ambitious, refuses to conform and insists on going her own way, is a budding journalist. Violet encourages the girls to “enjoy your differences,” which also suggests readers do the same with family and friends. The journey to Paris, Venice, and Vienna is as much for Violet’s last good-byes to be delivered as it is for Clara and Maddy to experience time for self-examination. Maddy, very inquisitive, bold, and brash is directly opposite of Clara who has not found her voice, even with her fiancé, millionaire Charles Hancock. The self-analysis and discoveries made by each sister along the way gives the reader plenty to ponder long after the journey is over. One thing the sisters DO agree on is Violet’s transportation choices which include the opulent Queen Mary, the Orient Express, and the Hindenburg. With the detailed descriptions and perfect analogies readers will travel first class throughout the trip! The suspense of decisions to be made and secrets to be revealed are intensified as the sisters travel to each destination. In Three Words for Goodbye, the anticipation of what lies ahead for Clara and Maddy adds to this enriching, enjoyable journey.

From my blog: Always With a Book:

This is the latest collaboration by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb and one of my most anticipated reads for the month. I have read everything these two authors have written together and am so happy to say that this latest one might be my favorite one yet!

There is just something so engaging and appealing about the writing when these two come together. I was immediately taken in by this story and that never wavered. Two sisters who do not get along are tasked by their ailing grandmother to deliver three letters in three cities across Europe. Of course, this is in 1937 just as Hitler’s Nazi party is starting to come to power, so tensions in Europe are beginning to mount. And what adds another layer of tension is that right from the beginning we know how the girls are supposed to return home…if you know history, you know what I’m talking about.

I loved the dynamics between the two sisters. Having two myself, I love when authors choose to explore this relationship and the fact that we have here two sisters who don’t get along put in a situation where they will be traveling together, at times in close quarters, was fantastic! I loved the banter between them, the snide comments, but I also loved how they stood up for each other when needed.

As always, historical fiction is rooted in truth and the inspiration for this book is Nellie Bly and her trip around the world. I know a little about Nellie, primarily the investigative work she did on asylums, so this was a different avenue of her life I didn’t know about and I loved that. I loved all the quotes and tidbits about her journey that were peppered throughout the book and definitely want to dive deeper into her life – it certainly seems as if she lived an interesting one!

This book really captured my heart and mind and I loved that…that’s why I read historical fiction. It was engaging and entertaining, filled with secrets and self-growth, forgiveness and love. I highly recommend this book to all historical fiction readers!

Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb have done it again with another captivating story. The narrative is told mainly through the two sisters' points of view: Maddie and Clara. The two sisters are sent on an adventure by their grandmother to France, Italy and Austria. Throughout their trip, they have moments of uncovering family history along with their own self-discovery. I love how these two authors share beautiful descriptions of the countries and the political climate. I also love how they incorporate history into their stories and through the reader's connections with the main characters. Thank you NetGalley, Heather Webb and HarperCollins for an advanced copy!

This dynamic duo has struck gold again! I’m embarrassed to say that I haven’t read Meet Me in Monaco yet, but I do own it and am moving it up on my list.

This book, from the beautiful cover to the jacket write up, called to me. I love books regarding family dynamics, sisters in particular. This didn’t disappoint! The characters are wonderful and storyline top notch. I love dual timelines but found this singular passage a breath of fresh air. The year is 1937, a powder keg time in the world and you can feel it….from the Queen Mary and Paris to the Orient Express and Mussolini’s Italy to a train to Hitler’s beginning reign of terror and Austria and finally the Hindenburg back home. Their writing is descriptive, making you feel the beauty of each travel, destination and the horrors that the world is starting to see emerge. Throw in dilemmas for each girl, personally and as a duo and the book just flows to a satisfying ending. So many social issues are tackled in this book. This book is a vacation book, not meaning you have to read it on vacation, but the writing makes you feel like you are on vacation..

Estranged sisters, Clara and Maddie, are thrown together by their much loved, adorable Grandmother Violet who needs to settle her conscious before her passing. She asks her granddaughters to deliver 3 letters to important people. They do this grudgingly, and the trip proves to be a much need balm for so many and a coming of age awakening.

Thanks to Ms. Gaynor and Webb, William Marrow/Custom House and NetGalley for this ARC. Opinion is mine alone.

Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb have done it again continue their reign as Queen's of historical fiction!

Set in 1937, Three Words for Goodbye follows two sisters, Clara and Maddie, as they embark on a trip to Europe at the request of their ailing grandmother, Violet, to deliver three letters. What follows is a journey that reveals past secrets, true loves, the importance of family. As the sisters work to heal their strained relationship they also begin to discover their truest selves.

The genius of Gaynor's and Webb's writing is that they have that unique talent for grabbing your attention at the very beginning and keeping it until the very end. The descriptions of Paris, Venice, and Austria transported me right into the story and made me feel as if I was there with Clara and Maddie on their journey - sailing on the Queen Mary, riding the Orient Express, and boarding the ill-fated Hindenburg. The story was so well paced and the sweeter, more tender moments were just as satisfying as the more dramatic moments.

If you are a fan of historical fiction then Three Words for Goodbye is a must read!

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

It is 1937 and estranged sisters Clara and Madeleine Sommers learn their grandmother is dying, they agree to fulfill her last wish: to travel across Europe—together. They are to deliver three letters, in which Violet will say goodbye to those she hasn’t seen since traveling to Europe forty years earlier; a journey inspired by famed reporter, Nellie Bly. Constantly at odds with each other as they explore the luxurious Queen Mary, the Orient Express, and the sights of Paris and Venice,, Clara and Madeleine wonder if they can fulfil Violet’s wish, until a shocking truth about their family brings them closer together. But as they reach Vienna to deliver the final letter, old grudges threaten their reconciliation again. As political tensions rise, and Europe feels increasingly volatile, the pair are glad to head home on the Hindenburg, where fate will play its hand in the final stage of their journey.

I read Hazel Gaynor's book When We Were Young and Brave and thoroughly enjoyed it. When NetGalley and the publisher offered this book, I requested it as I knew I would enjoy it. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher. The author takes us to Paris, Venice and Vienna is post war Europe. She describes how families can be brought back together through circumstances and love.

THREE WORDS FOR GOODBYE By Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb
Historical Fiction
400 Pages

In 1937 two very different sisters are asked to fulfil their dying grandmother's last wish.  Clare & Madeline Sommers embark on a journey across Europe to deliver three letters to three people who made an impact on their grandmother's life. Learning things about their beloved grandmother that they didn't know. In this process learning things about each other as women and sisters that they didn't know. These two sisters embark on a journey destined to change their lives and relationship as sisters.

An amazing story of two sisters trying to fulfill their grandmother's wishes and repair their own relationship.  I love this duo author pair together!!!!!!!!!!!!! The way they incorporate each other's writing style together to create an amazing story filled with heart, courage, and so many emotions you immediately fall in love with their books. These two have a unique way of pulling you into their books and making it an intriguing,  comforting, moving story. I highly recommend this book to all historical fiction fans.

Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb are two of my favorite authors and their books are auto buys for me. When they get together to co-write a novel I know it's going to be fantastic. This one was definitely that.
"New York, 1937: When estranged sisters Clara and Madeleine Sommers learn their grandmother is dying, they agree to fulfill her last wish: to travel across Europe—together. They are to deliver three letters, in which Violet will say goodbye to those she hasn’t seen since traveling to Europe forty years earlier; a journey inspired by famed reporter, Nellie Bly.

Clara, ever-dutiful, sees the trip as an inconvenient detour before her wedding to millionaire Charles Hancock, but it’s also a chance to embrace her love of art. Budding journalist Madeleine relishes the opportunity to develop her ambitions to report on the growing threat of Hitler’s Nazi party and Mussolini’s control in Italy.

Constantly at odds with each other as they explore the luxurious Queen Mary, the Orient Express, and the sights of Paris and Venice,, Clara and Madeleine wonder if they can fulfil Violet’s wish, until a shocking truth about their family brings them closer together. But as they reach Vienna to deliver the final letter, old grudges threaten their reconciliation again. As political tensions rise, and Europe feels increasingly volatile, the pair are glad to head home on the Hindenburg, where fate will play its hand in the final stage of their journey."
This is a must read for all historical fiction and fans of sister conflict novels.

What a unique story. It was written so beautifully and I greatly appreciated the authors attention to keep us in the time period and feeling all the emotions without making their lives seem so distant from our own.

A new book by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb? Yes, please!! These ladies have dazzled me yet again! Three Words for Goodbye is a fabulous story set against the backdrop of pre-WWII Europe. Don't miss it!

This is a wonderful story about Clara and Maddie, two sisters that used to be close when they were children growing up, but since they became adults they disagree about everything. This has caused a huge rift between them and now they haven't spoken in months. But their beloved grandmother is dying and she has one last request for them. They must travel together to Europe upon the Queen Mary, landing in France and travel to Paris, then Venice and on to Vienna dropping off 3 letters along the way. The three letters are Violet's final goodbyes, her way of tying up loose ends in her life. She tells the sisters that the reasons for her wanting them to do this together despite them not getting along, will in time as their trip progresses become clear to them and they may even find out more about themselves and what they really want out of life. After delivering the final letter in Vienna they are to return home on the Hindenburg. Violet has booked them on first class transportation for each step of their journey. From France to Italy they will travel on the famed Orient Express.
This novel is a very fast-paced interest-gripping story with extremely connectable characters. I read it in a day, I couldn't put it down. The story brings to question do we sometimes have to travel thousands of miles only to discover what we truly sought was right there in front of us the whole time?
Well written prose, lovely descriptions of places and means of transport make the reader feel they are there with the sisters, on the Queen Mary, rocking slightly to the waves of the ocean, or on the Orient Express, the train swaying on its tracks, or feel the butterflies in your stomach as your hot air balloon ascends higher and higher. You experience it all. A truly lovely story of strong, independent women and of sisterhood and all the ups and downs that it entails.
highly recommend this book for any historical fiction fans, fans of women's literature or anyone who just wants to read a delightful well told story.
Thank you to the publishers at William Morrow and Custom House for the free ARC of this novel and to NetGalley, I am leaving my honest review in return.

The Trip

Sisters Clara and Madeline do not get along with each other, but they both lover their grandmother Violet. When she tells them she is dying and has a last wish for them, they agree to try and get along with each other and deliver three letters for their grandmother.

They must travel to Paris and deliver one letter, the Venice to deliver the second letter and to Austria to deliver the third letter. Along the trip they must try to get along with each other with is a monumental task.

They travel to these places to deliver the letters learning much about their grandmother, but in the process much about themselves. Clara is conflicted with her feelings toward her fiancee Charles and the art curator Edward. Madeline finds romance along the way in a most unexpected way in a beautiful city. Madeline also finds herself as a reporter with a story that could tear her newfound friendship with her sister apart. Will they be able to put their differences aside and become friends, or will they become silent sisters like Violet and Maggie?

I love the beautiful descriptions of the cities visited and the transport to go there. The Queen Mary, The Orient Express, The Hindenburg all great in their own way. It was like visiting the cities and countries for myself. After reading the book I felt like I had been on a trip to Europe.

I did enjoy reading this book very much and I would recommend it.

Thanks to Hazel Gaynor, Heather Webb, William Morrow and Custom House, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a copy of the book for my honest review.

What a magical heartwarming book!!! The year is 1937 and Clara and Maddie are sisters who are asked to visit their sick grandmother. When they get to Violet's house they learn their beloved grandmother is dying and has a job for them. Violet has asked them to visit Europe and hand deliver 3 letters to people of her past. Maddie and Clara haven't been close for years. They are very different people now even though they were really close growing up. I loved the adventure the sisters took and I loved Violet's story. The characters were amazing and at the end of reading I just wanted to hug my kindle. I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I received an advanced readers copy and all opinions are my own.

There’s so much to love about a novel that gives us insight into what it was like to be a woman during a certain time in history. Even better if that time was pivotal, unforgettable, hovering on the brink of seismic shifts that will leave the world forever changed.
What was it like for two unmarried sisters to travel on their own nearly a century ago?
What was it like to cross the Atlantic in 1937, with the world on the cusp of war?
Three Words for Goodbye takes us there: Inside the cultural and class norms, the social pressures, the sense of duty and propriety, the unrealized dreams, plus all the complexities that test and form relationships along the way: from sisterhood to family, courtship, engagement, friendship, even an encounter with a charming stranger.
Heather Webb and Hazel Gaynor have won over historical fiction readers with their earlier collaborations: the wistful, transportive Last Christmas in Paris and Meet Me in Monaco. Three Words for Goodbye will not disappoint their fans, and is sure to win over many more. Full review to come in Booktrib closer to the release date! (With thanks to the publisher and author for an opportunity to read an early copy.)

When grandma asks 2 estranged sisters to travel together it really isn't a question and the sisters can't say no to their beloved Violet.

Different in personality, goals, belief and fashion makes for a great story as they travel during a turbulent time in history. Paris, Venice and Vienna are feeling birth pains as Hitler's reign is on the rise. It isn't a quick journey nor is it easy when the past, present and future are discovered, evaluated and unexpected insight in their relationship is tested.

I enjoyed getting to know Clara and Madeleine, constantly at odds they travelled in style. There were many historical settings making this a fun read - the Queen Mary, Orient Express and even the Hindenburg. While the physical journey was interesting it was the emotional one, watching each of them deal with things made for an entertaining read.

This is not the first time authors, Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb have written together (Last Christmas in Paris), and once again they have delivered a well written heartwarming story that flowed nicely with no hint of different hands.

My thanks to Heather Webb for a digital arc (via Netgalley) in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely adored this book. What a seriously fun read to start out my summer! Clara and Madeleine Sommers are on a quest that their dying grandmother sent them on to reconnect with a variety of people from her past, all scattered about Europe on the cusp of WWII. It's a novel about sisters, about love, about travel, with a wonderful dash of history thrown in on the side. I loved all the characters so much, and I devoured this book in just two nights. Heather Webb and Hazel Gaynor are truly the best author team, and this book is a testament to their power of telling a great story.

Is there any better than a wonderful historical fiction book? No, there’s not! I love being whisked away to another place and time and Three Words for Goodbye by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb needs to find a place on your To-Read list this summer.

Take a look:

New York, 1937: When estranged sisters Clara and Madeleine Sommers learn their grandmother is dying, they agree to fulfill her last wish: to travel across Europe—together. They are to deliver three letters, in which Violet will say goodbye to those she hasn’t seen since traveling to Europe forty years earlier; a journey inspired by famed reporter, Nellie Bly.

Clara, ever-dutiful, sees the trip as an inconvenient detour before her wedding to millionaire Charles Hancock, but it’s also a chance to embrace her love of art. Budding journalist Madeleine relishes the opportunity to develop her ambitions to report on the growing threat of Hitler’s Nazi party and Mussolini’s control in Italy.

Constantly at odds with each other as they explore the luxurious Queen Mary, the Orient Express, and the sights of Paris and Venice,, Clara and Madeleine wonder if they can fulfil Violet’s wish, until a shocking truth about their family brings them closer together. But as they reach Vienna to deliver the final letter, old grudges threaten their reconciliation again. As political tensions rise, and Europe feels increasingly volatile, the pair are glad to head home on the Hindenburg, where fate will play its hand in the final stage of their journey.

Don’t miss this book! It hits the shelves on July 27th.

4.5 Stars

Three Words for Goodbye is an intriguing historical fiction read by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb.

This is a tale of sisterhood, both the good and the bad.

Clara and Madeleine are are opposites as opposites can be. They don't get along. They have different interest and goals. And both are at a life changing point in life.

With a trip across the globe planned by their aunt, the two sisters set off on a journey that surprised them both. Their aunt had a mission for them, and the sisters have no clue what they are about to experience.

The setting is fabulous, with Hitler rising to power as the girls are traveling. With a first hand view at what's going on, the girls see more than they expected to see.

I love this journey overall. I don't want to give anything away, but the theme is well done and poignant.

The writing is strong, with everything well brought to life, and an atmosphere well illustrated. The twists and turns are interesting and riveting.

Three Words For Goodbye is well worth a read the next time you want to read about the bond of sisterhood. These writers combine to create an interesting tale with plenty of heart and emotions.

Desperate for travel and adventure? Come aboard!! I adored this vintage travelogue complete with champagne, red lipstick, silky dresses, and elegant travel accommodations for two. Your companions are two snappy, independent sisters who rediscover their devotion on their quest to fulfill their grandmother’s dying wish. Just the story for right now. The message of tolerance rings through with crystal clarity. A must read!!