I will read anything by C.W. Gortner and so far I am never disappointed! Jennie Jerome, the mother of Winston Churchill. Was an interesting character The story has a fast pace and some nice characters! Nice read!

The American Adventuress tells the remarkable story of Jennie Jerome Churchill, the mother of Winston Churchill. Jennie Jerome is the daughter of a self-made American millionaire. One day, she is pursued by a British nobleman. Jennie falls in love and is determined to marry him against her parents’ wishes. Once she is married, she learns that marriage is complicated and full of hardships. Jennie also tries to help her husband, and later her son, through their political careers.

Jennie Jerome Churchill is not a likable character. She is very vain and selfish. She has little compassion for others. She was not a good mother to her sons, Winston and Jack Churchill, and often neglected them. Even when her sons are grown, she expects them to let her indulge in her personal pursuits and her marriages to young men who are deemed suitable for her. Even though I did not like her, I still found her to be a fascinating character. I like her independent spirit and her love for writing. Jennie Jerome Churchill definitely lived her life according to her own terms.

Overall, this audiobook paints a complex portrait of a larger than life woman. There is not much depth to any of the secondary characters. Therefore, I didn’t feel any emotions towards them. I did not feel Jennie’s great love for her first husband. I also did not understand Winston Churchill. This is probably because it is narrated from Jennie’s self-centered perspective. The one thing I did like was Jennie’s strong bond with her father. The pacing was uneven. There were times when I thought the story was rushed. It also had unnecessary and tedious scenes. Still, there were many glamorous parties, scandals and drama that made it a light and entertaining listen! The American Adventuress listens like a soap opera that captivated me from the very beginning! I also love the author’s attention to historical detail! I also love the audiobook narrator whose voice made the story come alive. I definitely enjoyed listening to more than reading it! The American Adventuress is an honorary tribute to Winston Churchill’s mother. I recommend this audiobook for fans of That Churchill Woman, Lady Clementine, and American Duchess!

I’m always intrigued by historical figures from the past, and with THE AMERICAN ADVENTURESS, I was so fascinated by Jennie Jerome, mother to Winston Churchill.

*many thanks to William Morrow and Harper Audio/Netgalley for the gifted copy for review

'The American Adventuress' is a easy and pleasant listen too and helps round out a character from history, Jennie Jerome, the mother of Winston Churchill. The strong will of the character of Jennie keeps the story from becoming just a series of chronological events happening to her in her life and instead we see a woman making all through her life, trying to forge her own path and yet it never leads her back to the home she, her mother and sister fled across the ocean from the escape scandal, something that would follow Jennie her whole life.

If you had told me at the beginning of the year that towards the end, I would be listening to a book about Winston Churchill's mother, I would have looked at you like the pandemic had really knocked you loopy. Yet here we are! And I'm honestly so thrilled that I had read this book. I mean, what a LIFE this woman lead! Her list of lovers ALONE! My god! I was floored to be listening and hearing about all of the intimate hijinks she got herself into! I couldn't believe it! Imagine, your mother being a mistress to the KING OF ENGLAND. In the 19th and 20th centuries, no less! Just absurd, to say the least. I mean, you can see where Winston got some of his lack of chill and boldness, that's for sure. She really was quite ahead of her time in a lot of ways. I was impressed.

This fictionalized book about the mother of Winston Churchill was wonderful. I was fascinated to learn of the family background of the late Prime Minister. The research which went into the writing of this historical fiction book was very in-depth. The life of Churchill's mother was not at all what I would have expected. She was a free spirit, willing to take the risks she need to in order to live life HER way. I was actually shocked to learn of Lady Randolph Churchill's relationship with Edward, the Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII.

With the recent transition to King Charles III, I think readers will be fascinated to learn the connection of the two families.

5 stars for this beautifully written, and wholly engrossing fictionalized account of Lady Randolph-Churchill - one of the first moneyed, young, American women to cross the pond to woo and win over British aristocracy, landing love with title. The audiobook narration of this bold, passionate woman consumed my every listening minute. Rich in historical detail and featuring a wide path of characters, this was truly a captivating read which left me wanting for more. Details, pictures, more on the famed "Jerome Sisters." This is a good book to follow Orphans of the Storm by Celia Imrie, and a perfect lead in to The Splendid and the Vile and Dead Wake: The Crossing of the Lusitania, both by Erik Larson. A book feast, those, one right after the other! Historical fiction readers and fans of anything British will love. Many thanks to @Netgalley for the advanced reader's copy!

I found this very dull. The narrator was quite boring and the "accents" they were trying to do were not convincing at all. I feel like this would have been more enjoyable as a print material, and so I am tentatively giving this a 2 star rating, though I did not finish it.

Interesting subject but choose something else about Jennie Churchill...it might be a starting point for more books on her in a Reading group. The narrator was awful, I forced myself to listen to her as NetGalley had sent an ARC (thanks!) She was breathy, very slow and dragged out her sentences. The actual book might be better..but pass on the audiotape.

This is the first book that I have read by C.W. Gortner and found it to be well written and it was brilliantly narrated by Ell Potter. Before listening to this book I didn't know anything about Jennie Jerome or that she was the mother of Winston Churchill. By the end of the first chapter I was enthralled with the story and couldn't wait to find out what Jennie would do next. She was strong willed even in her youth and did not lose this trait throughout her life. She was definitely a woman who lived life to the fullest and was ahead of her times in many ways. This is a must read for fans of historical fiction that feature real life characters.

I received a complimentary copy of this audio book from Harper Audio through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

First line: Miss Jerome.

Summary: Jennie Jerome is the daughter of a wealthy American family. However, when scandal hits, her mother takes her and her sisters to France in the hopes of avoiding the society talk and enriching her daughter’s lives. But Jennie would much rather be back in New York until the day she meets a handsome son of a duke, Randolph Spencer-Churchill. It’s a whirlwind romance that leads to a life of society and the birth of one of the world’s greatest statesmen, Winston Churchill.

My Thoughts: Gortner is a wonderful historical fiction writer. He brings to life people and their world in such a way that it makes you want to learn more. As with several of his previous books on Sarah Bernhardt and Empress Maria of Russia, I had never heard of Jennie Jerome. She took Europe by storm and was one of the first American women to marry into the British aristocracy. As well as learning about this head strong woman I also learned a lot about the end of the Victorian era and the beginning of the Edwardian.

I was surprised while reading how scandalous her life was. Many women at the time lived very strict and structured lives but she was bending the rules. Even though she led a life that she chose there were still many sad moments and mistakes made during it. She lived through the scandals and held her head high. I can understand after reading this why Gortner decided to bring her story to a wider public. It is fascinating.

FYI: Perfect for fans of Marie Benedict and Fiona Davis.

I loved this book. It has great descriptions of the era and the cultures of society. The narrator did a good job, too.

I tried. I tried several times to start this audiobook, but I could not get into the plot of the novel. I managed to make it about fifteen minutes in, but was not able to finish the book.

This is the story of Jennie Jerome Spencer-Churchill, a wealthy American woman who had her own ideas of doing almost anything. The story is told in the first person, from Jennie's point of view. .And what a view that was! Despite her mother's desire to have her daughters marry 'well'., she married Randolph Spencer-Churchill, an up and coming politician, although he was a second son in an aristocratic British family. Winston, her first son, was born barely 8 months after the wedding.

Lady Randolph Churchill, was quite a woman. Although she was product of her time, education, social standing, and wealth, her stunning beauty enabled her to lead a life that was as surprising as it was incomprehensible by today's standards. She had numerous liaisons and affairs(after all, if men could do it, why couldn't a woman?) ostensibly to help both her husband and then later her elder son, achieve their own goals in life. Her relationship with the Bertie, Prince of Wales is detailed in the book.

Her children were raised by nannies, but her love for her children, Winston, the future prime minister, and John, was very strong. Her relationships with men are questionable. After Randolph dies, she marries twice more to men very close in age to her children, shocking for the times.

Historical details in the book are numerous, and. references of Clara Barton, King Edward VII and more are included. Those who love history and women's roles will enjoy this read.

Thank you NetGalley, C.W. Gortner and Harper Audio for a step into history.

The American Adventuress traces the life of Jennie Jerome Spencer- Churchill, the mother of Winston Churchill. Born into a wealthy New York family, Jennie moved to Paris with her mother and sisters as a child. She married in to an aristocratic British family and was a powerful influence on her son, Winston Churchill. The novel gave a lot of historical background for this particular time and place; however, there were many details that seemed too gossipy for my taste.
NetGalley gave me an ARC of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

#theamericanadventuress
#jennierandolphchurchill
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I enjoyed this book very much. It took me a little while to warm up to Jennie Jerome, and even longer to realize she was Winston Churchill's mother, but as I got further into the story, I didn't want to put it away.

Halfway through the book, but confess I’m having difficulty connecting with Jenny Churchill or finding her at all sympathetic. Perhaps because I feel the author is being unduly bias against her mother. This may be a case where a first-person POV brings the reader too close. Some distance from her thoughts might make her more sympathetic.

I am ashamed to admit I never gave a thought to Winston Churchill's mother prior to listening to An American Adventuress. Thank you, C. W. Gortner, for introducing me to Jennie Jerome. Narrated by Ell Potter, I enjoyed learning about the life of a remarkable woman.

Told in first person from Jennie's point of view, An American Adventuress is a fine piece of historical fiction albeit with the feels of a biography. Jennie was born into wealth, but with the divorce of her parents, her socially ambitious mother, set her sights on having her 2 girls marry well. Jennie had her own thoughts on love and relationships. She married Randolph Spencer- Churchill for love. Winston was born 8 months later.

Lady Randolph Churchill, Winston's mother, was quite a woman. A product of her time, education, social standing, and wealth, Jennie's beauty enabled her to lead a life that was as surprising as it was incomprehensible by today's standards. She engaged in numerous liaisons and affairs, ostensibly to help, first her husband, and later her elder son, achieve their own goals in life. Her relationship with the Prince of Wales is detailed in the book.

As normal for the times, Jerome's children were raised by nannies. Jerome's love for her children, Winston, the future prime minister, and John, is strong. Her relationships with men are questionable. Upon the death of Randolph, she later marries 2 more men very close in age to her children, shocking for the times.

Historical details in the book are numerous. References of Clara Barton, King Edward VII and more are included. Those who love history and women's roles will enjoy this read.

Thank you NetGalley, C.W. Gortner and Harper Audio for a step into history with a strong woman at the helm. My eyes have been opened to the accomplishments of Jennie Jerome. It's easy to see where Winston Churchill got his backbone and determination.

Gortner pens a fictionalized story of Jennie Jerome, the woman who would become the mother of Winston Churchill. Following the scandal of Jennie’s parents, separation, her mother raised Jenny and her sister in Paris, with the goal of making them highly sought after brides to the elite of Europe. Fleeing Paris after a revolt, Jennie finds herself in England where she meets and marries Randolph Spencer Churchill. Not a woman to sit quietly at home, after her husband’s death, she begins a life long friendship with Edward, the Prince of Wales, setting the stage for her son Winston’s career as Prime Minister of England, and arguably, the saviour of the free world. A fascinating story that has led to to look into Jerome’s real life story