I was excited to read this book based on its synopsis and the promise of a story about love and race in the roaring twenties. This book is based on the story of Alice Jones, who marries into one of New York's most prominent society families and who later gets divorced from her husband and is accused by him of having passed herself off as a white woman. This novel covers many aspects of the couple's marriage, as well as their divorce and the events that happen after. This story seemed a bit too long, in my opinion, and I felt that many parts of the novel dragged on for too long. The author is redundant at times and I frequently found my attention waning as I got deeper into the novel. I had pretty high expectations for this book based on the plot, but I have to admit that I was disappointed. I expected more out of this novel. I really wanted to care more about Alice's story but I found that I could not. I am sure this story will appeal to some, but for me, it unfortunately fell a bit flat.

I so wanted to read and love this book but very early in I realized that the repetition of everything would drive me crazy and sadly I decided not to finish. The premise of this book is wonderful and I love any story set in the 1920s but this one could not hold my attention. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC of this book and the chance to review honestly.

This book had great promise, but it was way too long and way too repetitive. The idea was great, the execution was poor.

I appreciate receiving an advance review copy of this book from NetGalley.. I thought the story had a lot of promise. Sadly, I just couldn’t stick with it. After 7 chapters, I looked to see how long the book was and learned it was over 500 pages. There was no way this was compelling enough to invest that amount of time and energy into the book. For me, though the story could have been interesting, it was just way too detailed and, ultimately, not interesting enough to continue. Don’t like rating the book since I didn’t finish it but have to be honest.

An interracial marriage, social status all set in the Roaring Twenties. Based on a true story, I can almost see the headlines, hear the comments, the tabloids must have had a field day. Leonard Rhinelander (wealthy) marries Alice Jones (not wealthy) and also of mixed-race. Upon the discovery of the marriage, Rhinelander's father insists upon a divorce. Why? He wanted to "protect" the purity of future generations. Therefore, we have a divorce trial. A sensational trial...disgusting. I'm quite sure the trial itself was much shorter than this novel was. At over 500 pages you either loved it or hated it. I felt bad for Alice to have to go through all this, but after nearly skimming most of the book, it was too long, It's hard to make a judgment call on a book that you could hardly get through, but there you have it boring, lengthy and overdone.

When I read the summary for Defending Alice, I was excited. A scandalous high society trial? A mixed-raced heroine? The 1920s? Count me intrigued.

In the mid 1920s, Alice Jones, a mixed race woman married Leonard Rhinelander, son of one of the richest men in the country. When the marriage is discovered, Rhinelander’s father forcibly separates the couple and insists they divorce in order to protect the “purity” of future generations. Stratton’s story is the recounting of the divorce trial, which at the time, was one is the country’s juiciest scandals.

Alas, I did not get the taut, dramatic historical fiction was not to be. The story is told mainly through Alice’s lawyer and Leonard while Alice’s POV is limited to her diary or the recounting of her testimony. As a result, her character is two dimensional. In fact, all three characters are flat. Leonard is so weak and self-pitying, I was left wondering what she saw in him.

I hate not finishing books, but after 11 chapters, I couldn’t work up the interest to finish. My apologies to Mr Stratton.

I’m sure Defending Alice will appeal to some readers, but it was not for me.

DNF

This book tells the tumultuous story of Rhinelander v Rhinelander where Alice Rhinelander is accused of keeping secret that fact that she has African American blood. Unfortunately, this is the gyst of the story that the author takes far too long to tell. The speech of the characters seems far to sophisticated for them and there was no way for me to connect with them..This book was a DNF for me.

I could not finish this book. The slow tempo, rambling sentences and lack of direction left me with no desire to continue reading. The lack of character development made it impossible to care about Alice or her story.

What could have been an interesting, compelling story was impaired by the lengthy and repetitive details. The concept of the book is informative but it was a lengthy, sometimes tedious read. The use of different narrators and Alice’s diary added additional information and perspectives but complicated the time to move through the novel.

A sincere thank you for providing me an advanced readers copy (ARC) of “Defending Alice” in exchange for an honest review. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to read the novel and leave my review voluntarily.

I very much enjoyed Defending Alice. It's the story of the love affair between Alice Jones and Leonard/Len Rhinelander. Alice was a woman of color, the daughter of a Black father and a white English mother, and Len who was the son of a white Anglo-Saxon millionaire. They met by happenstance and courted and we're married. When Len's father learned of the marriage he literally had his son kidnapped and proposed a lawsuit to have the marriage annulled.

The bulk of the book was the trial. Of course, Len was vehemently opposed to it but he didn't have the courage to stand up against his father. The lawsuit stated that Alice had told Len that she was white, and that she was a Black vamp who was after Len's money.

In court, Len's attorney, Mr. Mills, slandered Alice and her mother viciously, calling them every name in the book, saying that they plotted to take Len's money. His lawyers really didn't have a leg to stand on, only lies. Alice's attorney, Mr. Davis on the other hand, stated facts, the truth. And he got Len on the witness stand and tore into him. He faught a good, clean fight, well, clean accept when he read Len's letters to Alice that proved to be x rated. He faught the good fight and won for Alice.

In the end, Alice knew that she and Len would not get back together. He eventually moved to Nevada and filed for divorce. A few years later, he died of pneumonia. But Alice believed he died of a broken heart. I've gotta say that I didn't like the end. I'd hoped that after all they went through they'd get back together. So I was deeply disappointed.

All in all, it was a good read. I didn't particularly like the lengthy closing statements. They felt long and drawn out. And there were other parts that were somewhat wordy. But it didn't change the fact that I thoroughly enjoyed the book. I give it five stars.

The story here itself, the history is fascinating. The real life rich boy, poor girl story, about the controlling evils of money and power could have been captivating. Only this story about poor girl Alice Jones and rich boy Leonard Rhinelander and the scandal that ensued after they secretly married and his family forced them to divorce lost something in the translatio. A story that had all the elements to make it exciting and great ended up bogged down in details and long wordy chapters until it bores the reader forcing a person to skim through to the end. least sleep overtakes one. This really could have been so much better. I will still give 3 stars for a interesting history lesson.
Thank you to Harper Via and to Net Galley for the free ARC, I am leaving my honest review in return.

Stratton brings us the real-life story of Alice and Leonard Rhinelander. A once fairy tale love story ruined by deceit and deception by a young man too afraid to stand up to his father for his own beliefs.
Let us begin:
In the fall of 1921, Leonard "Kip" Rhinelander and his friend decided to go into New Rochelle, New York, where supposedly it was "easy" to pick up everyday girls. Leonard is a student at the Orchard School (Asylum) for the wealthy sons of fathers who deem their sons "problematic," he had been hanging out with this older, married fellow (an electrician) who was using Leonard for his car and money and naivete. Convinced Leonard that going into town would be able to score them some locals who would be willing to give it up. Leonard was all for it and took the drive into town. However, once there, he gets left while the friend drives off with a pretty girl named Grace Jones.
A couple of days later, Leonard knocks on Jones's door only to find the most beautiful girl in the world answering the door. Leonard, stammering, asks for Grace, only to be told that Grace is out, and he would like to come in and wait. Whereas Alice tells him, "We don't bite," putting Leonard at ease. While Leonard is waiting for Grace, Alice flirts with Leonard mercilessly because she sees how flustered she is making him. When Grace finally returns, he tells her he is there to get back the ring his friend gave her. Which he, in turn, gives to Alice. When Mrs. Jones tells the girls that neither of them can keep it, all three get a good laugh, which makes Leonard feel extra comfortable around Alice and her family.
Christmas comes, and Leonard decides he is going to take his girl (who he has been courting for a minute now) into Manhattan; they are going to stay at the Marie Antoinette Hotel. When Leonard checks them into the hotel, he does so as husband and wife, affording them the honeymoon suite. Alice is over the moon with love and happiness with her passion for Leonard. The two do everything a married couple would do, minus the rings. They go to Broadway and watch a show, go to the theater with friends, and have dinner. Leonard even buys a book on Karma Sutra, and the two end up performing every pose in the book until Leonard's father sends his goons to bring him to him. Strong and Jacobs come busting through the door and take off w/Leonard, telling him his father requests an audience with him post haste. Two days before, Mr. Strong tells Leonard that Phillip Sr. was not a man to be kept waiting. When he did see him (two whole days later, after being rushed to see his father "post haste")
his father threatened him never to see Alice again or else. Then told Strong not to let him out of his sight.
Alice ended up with a severe case of the flu and was bedridden; Leonard rushed to her side, only to be absconded by his father's men again. This time his father was "NOT PLAYING," he means it, and he meant to keep him away from Alice.
So he sends Leonard traveling worldwide, from this country to that, from this state to that. Finally, Leonard ends up in a training camp in Arizona, where he tells Alice the minute he turns 21, he will be there to marry her. He needs her to believe him; soon, his inheritance will kick in, and they will be free. Days before his 21st birthday, Leonard leaves Arizona, picks up Alice, and takes her to Cape Cod, Mass. They are checked in again as husband and wife and enjoy their moments together. On the drive back, Leonard makes one last stop at the county clerk's office, where he officially makes Alice his bride. For two weeks, while living as husband and wife, they live under her parent's roof and are happy and in love, until the goons show up, yet a third time and play on Alice's good-natured parent's hearts. And they believe what the creeps are telling him. When Leonard leaves, it is the last time Alice will see her husband as husband and wife ever again.
The attorneys for Philip Rhinelander filed annulment papers on Alice, stating that she falsified her skin color. When Leonard was in Strong and Jacobs's control, the two forced Leonard on a Subway train to sign the annulment papers. Signing those papers was the moment he signed his and Alice's love and life away "forever."
Anyway, readers, this is where I leave you because even though it was a bit of redundancy, this is the best part of the book. Alice and Leonard's back story was a glimpse into the crux of the "true" foundation of the case. The "REAL" story was that Philp Rhinelander, through his son, filed a slanderously racially charged lawsuit against Mrs. Rhinelander simply because she had a drop of "colored blood."
This case was never about Alice; to begin with, she was just the pawn in between. Instead, this was all about father and son; in this case, the father always wins.
Defending Alice is told in 3 different narratives, one said by Alice, one by Leonard, and the lead is by the attorney Mr. Davis.
The transition between Leonard and Alice by Stratton is not the smoothest; at the time, the reader is left confused about who is speaking, but further reading, you will eventually get the gist.
As others have mentioned, I did not get the feeling about the book lengthwise (I like long books). However, I felt that Stratton drafted the book as if it were an actual trial. Instead, he may have wanted to use proper dialogue form next time.
A few things I did not like, that I must agree and give a total eye roll to, were the many, many, many lines of repetition. OMG! Stratton, what was that? Even if you were using legalese, I do not think anyone speaks like that. I understand a lawyer needing to repeat to remind the jury, but that was overkill for sure.
Then the stellar word building, it was not.
It was like the author was trying to use judicial jargon dating back to that century but then would toss in modern-day terminology. Let us stick with one century and one only. You cannot use both and think people of the reading world will not notice. (Just like the jury, we see)
I also wish the author had put what happened to the real Alice Rhinelander. The book's ending seemed so incomplete to me; it just left off hanging.
When I first heard of this book, I googled the entire story, so I know what happened to her, and I think it would be most important to include that in an afterword.
Overall, the book was fascinating in illuminating their courting and how they met. Brilliant!
Rhinelander v Rhinelander was a famous case that went under the radar for far too long. Thank you, Stratton, for bringing it to light.
And, of course, I thank “MY” excellent state of NY for doing the right thing, “Especially” back then. One just must love NY!!

Thank you, NetGalley/Richard Stratton/Harper Via/ For this amazing eARC for my honest review. My opinions are of my own volition.

What could have been an interesting, compelling story was impaired by the lengthy and repetitive details. The concept of the book is informative but it was a lengthy, sometimes tedious read. The use of different narrators and Alice’s diary added additional information and perspectives but complicated the time to move through the novel.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperVia for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Defending Alice
by Richard Stratton
Pub Date: Nov. 22, 2022
576 pages
Harper via
Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC of this book. A novel of love and race in the roaring 20's I found the premise and history absolutely fascinating, though the pace could have moved a little more quickly for my taste. Entirely too long and detailed. I did not enjoy reading this book.

2 stars

Defending Alice by Richard Stratton is courtroom at its best. While this novel takes place in the twenties, sadly all prejudices are familiar. There is great drama in the back-and-forth dialog between the attorneys from both sides. Added to the drama is the dynamics of a controlling father, a weak young man and a woman who truly believes in love. This novel is very appropriate for our times since a lot of the interchanges could take place right now in our time. I would recommend this booth. It is rather timeless.

So disappointing! This could have been great, what a story based on a real life historical case I was not familiar with. But my god, I had to resort to skimming through this. What a long, boring, repetitive slog!

Defending Alice details the real-life Rhinelander case of 1920s New York City, a landmark case in that its basis was interracial marriage and social status.. Although fictional, it read like a very detailed, narrative nonfiction title. The writing was painfully detailed, repetitive, and wordy. Unfortunately I found it difficult to get through. Thank you NetGalley, the author, and publisher for an advance e-reader copy of this book.

Defending Alice by Richard Stratton is an interesting novel based on a true relationship between a black woman and an aristocratic, wealthy white man from a prominent family and legal trial to annul their marriage. I found the premise and history absolutely fascinating, though the pace could have moved a little more quickly for my taste.

“Defending Alice” by Richard Stratton is a historical fiction book based upon a true trial. I found the idea of this book extremely fascinating.

I have to be honest - it took me a week to read the opening chapter. I knew that this book was going to be a bit of a long slog after that. However, the book did pick up once the reader was introduced to Alice and Len’s stories. However, their voices are limited in this book and the bulk focuses on Alice’s lawyer.

My one huge issue with the book is that there is a LOT of repeated information, as other reviewers have noted. This book could have easily been pared down by maybe 1/3 and I still think it would need more tightening. Additionally, a lot of this book dragged - there’s a lot of legal jargon (and I just got off of a two day jury appearance) and a lot of long ruminations. I ended up skimming a lot of this book to get the gist or it might’ve taken me six weeks to read it word for word. Additionally, while I’m okay with “sexy time” in doses, the descriptive details about Len and Alice’s sexual relationship I was extremely uncomfortable reading after a time.

I think this was an interesting idea, but poorly executed.