3 STARS
BOOK REVIEW

Fan of both celebrities so reading about their relationship I thought was going to be good. and for the most part, I enjoyed the glamour and views of Old Hollywood but the story was long and for me not written well enough.

I cannot recommend this book enough. Heather Webb is an amazing author and has opened my eyes to so much in her stories. Strangers in the Night is a must read!

I received a complimentary copy of this book and was not required to write a favorable review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I’ll admit I previously knew little about Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardner. To my knowledge, I had not watched any of their movies, nor did I own any Sinatra music…I’m also not sure I knew they were married and possibly the greatest loves of each other’s lives. While reading, I bought Frank Sinatra vinyl (and really fun- my mom discovered a Sinatra record of my dad’s from the 60s or 70s), and I’ve watched from Here to Eternity with many more movies added to my list. Some time during my childhood, a billboard was erected near Ava Gardner’s small hometown museum in North Carolina. We often passed the billboard on our way to the beach, and I remember thinking how stunning she was and how fun it was that she made it all the way to Hollywood. I had no idea just how full her life was.

I was obsessed with Ava and Frank’s story, which in some ways was a novel of their obsessions for/with each other. I have to mention the writing because I blew through this book fast because it was written so well. Star-crossed lover stories are among my favorites. As toxic as their relationship could be, I felt the push and pull right along with them, wanting them to be together. No, no, wanting them to be apart. Sad for their longing for each other.

Hist fic fans, you have to read this. Classic movie fans, this one is for you. A favorite of mine this year. A must read.

I received a gifted copy.

I love books about old Hollywood and although this wasn’t my favorite, I did learn a lot.

The love story between Frank and Ava was nothing if not passion and tumultuous and as must as they may have been made for each other they were constantly clashing.

I loved learning about their history - and what a long history it was. I felt the pacing was a bit off in that some parts felt drawn out and some parts were quite rushed.

This is an interesting take on Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardner's romance. It details how they met, everything surrounding the relationship, and how it ended. Though taking some liberties as is usual for historical fiction, it shines a light on how society and Hollywood viewed their relationship and how their love survived it all in the end. It was an amazing read.

First of all, let me say that this book was eye opening. I love Frank Sinatra and I was heartbroken to learn that he really wasn't a very nice man in real life. I was so heartbroken that I almost stopped reading the book but I continued. The writing was a little dry and hard to keep on at times but overall I'm glad I finished it.

I didn't know much about the relationship Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardner had and so I learned a lot do this book. It was definitely a tumultuous relationship, but through the years their love never ended. They always had a strong love for each other even when they were no longer together. They were the loves of each other's lives. Through everything, they always came back each other. Whether through friendship or romance, it was always there from the moment they met. I enjoyed learnkng more about this dynamic, complex couple and Heather Webb did a fantastic job telling this story.

Something that is baffling me about this book is that the author was approached to write it; the idea came from someone else. I think that was a cute idea, but the execution was poor. I haven’t read anything else by this author, so it’s hard to say how much to blame she is. I liked the idea but I think it was a hard story to write. It was too repetetive. That may have been the nature of their relationship, but it isn’t pleasant to read. It was a cycle of the same behavioral patterns, reading over and over, to the point that I genuinely think the book could have been cut in half. Some events were written twice but from different perspectives, which would be fine (maybe?) if the rest of the book wasn’t so repetetive. I genuinely think the book could have been cut in half to be improved (and that’s over 200 pages cut!!). I felt like we were going in circles… almost the whole time.
The book was supposed to be about their relationship and not their careers, but the parts about their careers were far more interesting. Again—because their careers weren’t repetetive. Way too much of the same thing over and over in this book. The parts I liked about it are basically just that I learned a lot about Frank and Ava (and their peers), which I did enjoy, but the book was not enjoyable.
As for the writing style, I do have a feeling this contributed to what made this book so unbearable (I can read almost anything, but I had to take breaks from this one). It felt forced and, to be completely honest, extremely juvenile. It felt like the way a teenager might describe these adult matters. I like YA when it’s meant to be YA, but I’m not a fan of sloppy descriptions in an adult novel. There were also a lot of character inconsistencies, but in fairness, that’s real life, as the author very much admits.
I wanted to enjoy this book, but I can’t recommend it in the slightest.

Strangers in the Night follows the tumultuous relationship between Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardner, and Heather Webb dramatically brings their dynamic to life in her alternating perspectives. Broken into various sections based on key years in their relationship, Webb’s book alternates between the two perspectives. While an outside perspective may make the book more interesting, the extremes of their relationship told from Sinatra and Gardner’s perspectives make the book an even more compelling and immersive read. Webb’s characterization makes the book hard to put down and turn away from, and the perspectives are so vibrant and lifelike that the reader becomes immersed in Sinatra and Gardner’s chaotic dynamic. Of course, Webb’s characters are explosive, throwing themselves off the page, and her setting of Old Hollywood is equally dramatic, chaotic, and glamorous, acting as the other main character in the book. Her settings, while brilliant and diverse, disappear behind the characters and the Old Hollywood of it all as Webb name-drops Sinatra and Gardner’s contemporaries throughout the book. A page-turner in every sense of the word, Webb has created a vibrant, lifelike portrait of Old Hollywood and the star-crossed romance between Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardner, bringing all of her writing and narrative skills to the table.

I grew up listening to Frank Sinatra (I was born in NJ to Italians!) and I loved reading this fictional look at his love story with Ava Garder. It's a fascinating look at old Hollywood and a turbulently passionate relationship between two stars that I couldn't put down.

Thanks to William Morrow and NetGalley for the copy to review.

Quick and Dirty⁣
-fictional account of a famous Old Hollywood couple⁣
-reads more like a memoir⁣
-I wish I had an audio copy⁣
-sexy and full of closed-door spice⁣
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Synopsis⁣
Frank Sinatra is a household name, but so is Ava Gardner's. She's had a few husbands by the time they met, and he's still married to his sweetheart from Jersey. Ava knows Frank's a cad and that he'll never leave his family, yet she's drawn to his charismatic yet sensitive charm. Like moths to the flame, she and Frank soon find themselves involved in a scandalous affair that rips his career to shreds and nearly drives them both to the edge and back.⁣
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musings ⁣
OMG yes yes yes! This book is EXACTLY what I wanted it to be! Every classic Hollywood fan needs to run out to grab a copy. I literally didn't want to put this one down. It scratched every itch and then some. With plenty of wit and banter, the dialogue felt authentic and captivating. I felt like I was right there with Ava and Frank, falling in love with his charm and her sass. Their love affair felt like the perfect combination of toxic but intoxicating romance, the kind I like to read about and remember from my 20s but would never relive. As a fan of classic films, it was fun to hear behind-the-scenes tidbits from famous films I've enjoyed even if fictional. Most of all, I loved the way Webb used locations as characters in the novel. I highly recommend this one!

Strangers in the Night by Heather Webb was an intimate introduction to Frank Sinatra and his lifelong love, Ava Gardner. Admittedly, I knew next to nothing about the man or the woman behind their star status. I for sure have heard Frank’s music as my parents were, and still are, fans of his songs.

The good news is that by writing in the first person from Frank’s POV and Ava’s POV, the reader is introduced to them in an accessible way. It didn’t matter if you’ve been a lifelong fan or not familiar with either of them, we all start the book as equals.

I was shocked at the at how fast their relationship could go from cold to hot. The way they could both love and fight with such passion and acrimony was crazy. Yet they always, well almost always, came back to one another.

Learning about how they were raised, the struggles they went through, and the allowances given to men (not women) were all addressed throughout the book. Depression, alcoholism, addiction, and infidelity were commonplace in star-studded Hollywood.

Fans of movies and old Hollywood will adore this book and folks like me, who knew little to none about Frank and Ava will enjoy it too!

A glitzy Hollywood story that gets into the grit of Ava and Frank's real relationship. This book has the melancholy of knowing they don't work out, but the sweetness of their passionate love affair for the ages. A real gem.

I loved this. I found it a little slow to get into initially, but it picked up fairly quickly and then I didn't want to stop. I'm now obsessed with reading everything I can find about Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardner - because I'm dying to know how much of this novel is actually true. This is about an toxic relationship / affair between star-crossed lovers. The writing was EXCELLENT and I'm looking forward to reading more by Heather Webb (I've already added a few to my TBR list). If you're a fan of Historical Fiction, or Classic Movies, or The Rat Pack - I highly recommend this!

𝘊𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘯!

What a fantastic story, it was addictive and impossible to put down. I had no idea of some of these two Hollywood stars and it was really interesting. Loved it.

Wow. There are toxic relationships and then there’s Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardner’s relationship, which blows any level of toxicity out of the water.

Strangers in the Night details the pair’s encounters through the early days in through Ava’s passing. At times it can be hard to read because you just want to smack the two of them and explain that they are not good for each other. But like all toxic relationships there’s something there that is just impossible to let go.
I liked the book, but I loved the author’s note. There’s so much more about Frank and Ava that Heather Webb left out, and I can’t wait to do a deep dive!

Wow! I can honestly say I didn't know a thing about these celebs before I picked this book up. Frank Sinatra is a household name, and yet I feel like the picture of him in my head didn't match up with what I read... This book is intense! Talk about a toxic, dysfunctional relationship. The drama around these two definitely makes for an epic story. The paparazzi just fueled the fire, but they were sprinkled bits of Hollywood were fun to see. I already passed this book on to my mom because I know she'll love it!

I really enjoyed Strangers in the Night! Heather Webb clearly put a ton of time and energy into researching both Ava and Frank's lives. Their passionate relationship is evident on every page, and it was nice to see that even when their heated romance was something that they knew wouldn't work, their continued love and genuine affection for each other later in their lives shone through. But I do have to admit that I'm particularly biased because I'm actually on staff at the Ava Gardner Museum, and after having talked with our Executive Director, we would love to have this book sold in our gift shop! The Museum would also absolutely love to connect with this author and possibly interview her or anything like that!

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for providing a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

What makes a book a good book? I think it has something to do with the emotions you confront once it is time to leave the book behind. The book has come to an end, but you know a part of it is going to stay with you. This is absolutely the case with Heather Webb’s Strangers in the Night.

Everyone knows the name Frank Sinatra, but not everyone knows exactly who the man was. He was a man suffering from emotional demons, drink, and the temptations of various women. For much of this novel, he certainly is NOT at his prime. The book unveils the aspects that were not all glitz and glamour in a reflective light. A man of four wives; was number two, Ava Gardner, his one true love?

This was a beautiful fictional rendering of Frank and Ava’s relationship, and the author even reveals which bits were true and which bits in which she “filled in the blanks” in her author’s note. I learned so much about the two stars and about Hollywood / Los Angeles in the fifties. I was left with an ache in my chest and a need to read more about them. I’m still not certain they should have ended up together in the end, but they had a beautiful, tragic run nonetheless.

I love reading about the glitz and glamour of old Hollywood and Heather Webb does a phenomenal job of weaving fact and fiction together to create an intimate portrait of the tempestuous relationship between Frank and Ava. I was captivated by the very first page and drawn into their story. The writing is spectacular and I loved learning more about them, their friends, and their lifestyle. They are Hollywood legends and their love passionate, tumultuous, and legendary. The author's note at the end is particularly touching.