Do Tell is a fun trip through golden age Hollywood seen through the eyes of gossip columnist Edie O'Dare. Great for fans of this era, but pretty standard otherwise.

I loved the glimpse of life in Old Hollywood. All the secrets and drama. The main character, Edie, was fierce and persevered against all odds. A great read!

I just didn't mesh with this one at all. I liked the beginning, and the old Hollywood vibes, but I felt like it veered off course pretty quickly and I couldn't follow the characters or the storyline.

Historical fiction isn't always my go-to genre, but l've been branching out a lot lately because I keep landing on total winners! The latest historical slay was DO TELL, Lindsay Lynch's debut novel. Edie O'Dare is a character actress who is searching for a new job after her contract runs out. She's been supplementing her onscreen stint with a gig as a popular gossip columnist. When Edie is given a tip in the form of an explosive letter alleging an assault from an A-list actor, she taps into her gossip columnist experience to propel the story to the forefront, not knowing that it will have lasting repercussions. This book was FANTASTIC.
Historical fiction is so detail-dependent, and Lynch infused the perfect level of scene-setting in the narrative. Lots of glitz and glam in here! especially loved the gossip columnist take on Hollywood. I've read several books set in this time period in Hollywood, but never from the perspective of a gossip columnist, so this POV felt especially fresh. This novel deals with some heavier topics, and I liked how in some ways, it paralled modern-Hollywood, but never felt too heavy-handed in the commentary. This book did slow a bit in the middle, but otherwise, a fantastic debut! If you're an Old Hollywood fan, then I highly recommend this one.

When I heard this author worked closely with Ann Patchett my hopes and expectations for this novel skyrocketed. Unfortunately, the book fell flat for me. I loved the time period and setting, I just didn't love the main character and was bored by her story.

I was very excited going into this one and I'm a huge fan of Golden Age Hollywood films and stories. Unfortunately I truly did not enjoy this book and cannot recommend it. It felt almost like a tabloid-esque exposé with real life names thrown in. The characters were two-dimensional and extremely unlikeable. The plot was confusing at times and didn't really have a point. I wouldn't have finished it if I wasn't reading to rate it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Doubleday Books for providing me a digital reviewer copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

I was initially drawn to this book for its classic Hollywood theme (I'm a HUGE fan of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo), and her writing certainly transported me there. However, the structure of the story, with its constant flashbacks, made it challenging to stay engaged. That also made it difficult for me to connect with the characters. While readers of literary fiction might appreciate this approach, as someone who leans towards more commercial tastes, I found it distracting and somewhat detracting from the overall enjoyment of the book.

I loved the setting of this book! Who wouldn't be intrigued by scandal in old Hollywood? The scene setting and characters were great and I look forward to the author's next book!

This is such a tough review to write because there are SO MANY things I love about this book, but also so many things that deterred me from finishing it.

Starting with the great: Lindsay Lynch has a strong voice that perfectly captures the era without without feeling over-the-top. Her descriptions of Hollywood are both the dreamy portrayals we romanticize in modern times and seamlessly realistic. I wanted to step into that world, get to know Edie, and bask in the fictional glamour.

However, I struggled with elements of the writing. I surprisingly loved the short, truncated scenes that made up each chapter. But as fast-paced as those vignettes were, overall it felt like the plot dragged. I also struggled with how the flashbacks were written into the story; it was challenging to keep up with the timeline and what happened when.

All of that said, I think this is an incredible debut and I'll absolutely be watching for the author's next book.

Do Tell by Lindsay Lynch is a story that brings light to the golden age of Hollywood, and Lynch is a local writer to Nashville, so I love to give her support. It's a great debut and an intriguing work of historical fiction.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me. All thoughts are my own.

Lovely writing and such a fun setting, but the “Me Too” in a different era premise was ultimately not for me. I look forward to whatever Lynch does next!

I was beyond impressed by this debut novel, and how expertly it navigated the shine of Hollywood and the dark underbelly of stardom. Lindsay Lynch is a wonderful writer, and I'm excited to see where she goes next.

Gosh. I had high hopes for this one - I am OBSESSED with the golden age of Hollywood, and though I don't typically gravitate towards a historical fiction pick, the synopsis and description of this one had me hooked. Unfortunately, it really fell flat for me and I slogged through to the finish in hopes it would get better (spoiler alert: it never did).

It has all the elements that would normally intrigue me - the setting, the journalism, the investigation, the mystery, but all were poorly executed and never really captured my attention. I never should've finished this one because the ending was less than satisfying and didn't make the process worth it. Skip this one - it's not as good as you want it to be.

Unfortunately this book didn’t work for me and was a DNF but I am sure other readers will feel differently! Thank you for the ARC!

Fully immersed in this world with lots of great characters that keep you engaged from start to finish!

A very engaging debut about the Golden age of Hollywood.

This was a fresh take and I was wholly engaged through out the entire tale.

This debut novel will appeal to fans of old Hollywood and all to familiar gossip stories that ring true today. Lindsay Lynch is an author with a lot of promise.

A well-written and clearly well-researched debut novel about the golden age of Hollywood. I found myself wishing there was more plot and less description. I'll be curious to see what Lynch writes next, though!

The main thing that will stick with me from Do Tell is the novel's incredibly strong voice. The old school Hollywood tone and vibe are immaculate. It makes the book very moody and evocative. As a reader, you feel immersed in the action and can vividly visualize the plot. I found this novel to be an extremely strong debut, and I'd definitely pick up future releases by Lindsay Lynch.

Thank you to NetGalley, and Doubleday for the complimentary eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I tried this one but was just kinda bored, it didn't really feel like much was happening. After talking to a few other sources who had read this, I felt okay putting it down.