Fanny has had to reinvent her life. She has been raised to be a “good wife”. But life throws her a curve ball and she has to get a job and create a whole new world for herself and her daughter.

If you follow my reviews at all, you know I am a big fan of strong women characters. And Fanny is just that! It takes her a little bit. But when she jumps into the workforce, nothing stops her.

This book is very close to a 5 star read. The only reason it is not is that it slows down a bit in the middle, or rather, it could have been a bit shorter maybe. But, you can’t go wrong with it. The story of Fanny definitely keeps you entertained from start to finish.

I love how once she became dependent on herself, she was not going back. And she had an opportunity or two to get married and become the “good wife” she was raised to be. She outgrew this thought and the constraints of the time period.

The narrator, Kathryn Markey, is the perfect voice of Fanny!

Need a good historical fiction…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

I really enjoyed this novel. I liked the fact that the McCarthy era was explored from the point of view of some who were blacklisted, and I also appreciated reading about what life was like for a single mother in the late 40s and during the 50s. Well researched and well written.

The Trouble With You by Ellen Feldman is a story of a woman who is trying to get her bearings as a widow, a mom, and also as a breadmaker. In a time when women were relegated into the kitchens and living rooms, Fanny was a writer for radio serials.

Set during the late 1940s and 1950s, this book shows the world after WWII. Some men return, and some don’t. Fanny's man returns, but shockingly, she becomes a widow afterward. She needs to take care of herself and her daughter. She becomes a writer for radio serials in a turn of events. But in the wake of HUAC and blacklist, will her livelihood be safe?

This book is slow paced, and though I enjoyed it in parts, I had trouble getting into it. In some parts, I was really keen to know more about Fanny's writing career. It picks up a bit and again falls flat.

Thank you, St. Martin's Press for this book.

Choice’s woman had to make and the political environment after World War II in the US
Woman brought up to be homemakers and mothers finding themselves windowed with young child after the war years. Should she do what is expected, look for a husband taking cousin Mimi’s advice or follow her aunt Rose’s advice and apply for a job? Single man returning from the war had their pickings of young women without children to start their own families. As Fanny is adjusting to her new life, working as a secretary to the queen of radio serials, she makes new friends, even a bit of romantic interests. Through it all she becomes aware of the injustice of the McCarthy trials who blacklisted so many people suspected of having communist sympathies. Blacklisted meant nobody would hire you been afraid of been blacklisted themselves. A lot of paranoia was going around. A remarkable story, nicely written and a good reflection of the mentality of that time.

This was a good read! It felt a little slow for the first half or so and I had a difficult time staying engaged. Overall, I liked this. The main characters were well developed, and the story had a unique, interesting arc!

The Trouble With You by Ellen Feldman is a story of a young woman in post WWII New York City when she is faced with the choice between playing it safe and risking everything for what is right. As the fighting men are coming home from war, the country is on a high note and settling into the life of marriage, family and a booming economy. In an instant, the rosy future of Fanny Fabricant was turned upside down. Educated for a career as a wife and mother, she is torn between being the “nice girl” like her cousin Mimi and being the rebel like her Aunt Rose. Fanny takes a job in radio serials and forges friendships with an actress and a man who writes the series and comes face-to-face with the blacklist and McCarthyism. Will she follow her heart or will she allow societal norms to dictate her actions?
I thoroughly enjoy Ellen Feldman’s stories as she writes about the stories in the aftermath of war, a time most stories gloss over or forget. The Trouble With You features a scary time in the United States as the Cold War begins to heat up and the fear of communism is everywhere and the one man leading the charge. It is an interesting story; however, I would have liked to see and feel more of the impact of the blacklist and the panic going on with McCarthyism. It was talked about but I feel it didn’t quite come across as how much of an impact the Hollywood blacklist had spread. I enjoyed Fanny as she struggles with her choices. Overall, I enjoyed The Trouble With You and I look forward to reading more stories from Ms. Feldman. If you are interested in stories of life after the war, I recommend The Trouble With You.

The Trouble With You is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

Thank you to the author Ellen Feldman, publishers St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for an advance digital copy of THE TROUBLE WITH YOU. All views are mine.

Three (or more) things I loved:

1. One of the most romantic scenes I've ever read, and beautifully written: loc.59.

2. Feldman uses foreshadowing masterfully. I cannot tear myself away from this story. Loc.232

3. I adore the McCarthy-era political intrigue subplot! Paranoia is such an effective driver of conflict in a story and Feldman uses it well in this one.

4. I like that this story addresses story politics, and how story politics can overshadow a story's purpose, keep it from reaching its audience.

Three (or less) things I didn't love:

This section isn't only for criticisms. It's merely for items that I felt something for other than "love" or some interpretation thereof.

1. This book, more specifically Aunt Rose, is very hard on the fmc. I realize these were the social conditions of the time, but a touch of empathy from the narrator would have made for a better read for me.

2. The narrator makes an aside about how unnecessary literary writing is, or literary analysis. That all that matters is whether or not the audience connects with the characters and story. She’s right about the importance of connection, at least. I remember connecting with this book in the beginning, in part, ironically, because the writing is clear and good. The creative form, the experperimental time line, the direct narrative voice. This book has clear literary characteristics and moments. It's admir work, and that matters.

3. I can't find the plot in all this activity. She doesn't stick with anything long enough. It's like a string of beads rather than a rope, but only rope pulls the weight of a novel length story.

4. The ending is anticlimactic, but fittingly focused on the story's female characters.

Rating: 🪒🪒🪒🪒 / 5 shaving kits
Recommend? Yes!
Finished: Feb 20 '24
Format: Digital arc, Kindle, NetGalley
Read this book if you like:
⏳️ historical fiction
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 family stories, family drama
😭 loss and grief
💇‍♀️ women's coming of age
👩‍🏫 women's employment in the 20th century

I received a complimentary electronic copy of the Advanced Reader's Copy of this excellent novel from Netgalley, author Ellen Feldman, and publisher St. Martin's Press (Austin Adams). Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me. I have read The Trouble With You of my own volition, and this review reflects my honest opinion of this work. I am pleased to recommend Ellen Feldman to friends and family. She writes an intricate tale with personable characters and an intriguing storyline. I always seem to enjoy an Ellen Feldman book. She is on my list of favorite authors.

I hope you are going to appreciate this tale. We follow the trials and tribulations - and lots of good times, as well - in the lives and loves of Fanny and her daughter Chloe from 1941 through the end of World War II and until 1955 in New York City, with telling input of world affairs and politics and a firm touch of the red-scare that made the United States into a paranoid mockery of freedom. Viewed from our current time it's hard to imagine how McCarthyism affected life in America unless you can remember, and there are few of us left who can. We mustn't let this happen again. We old folks turn the watch over to you youngsters. It only takes one powerful person to make paranoia seem reasonable unless everyone makes the effort to stay aware of the true facts. We must keep it real.

Great story of a woman, Fanny Fabricant, struggling to follow the ideals set for women of the 40's/50's and the yearning to be what she wants to be. Fanny thought she was in the ideal situation, a loving husband returned from the war and a darling daughter. That is until tragedy took her husband away, leaving her to begin a new and different life for herself and Chloe. With the help of her women's designer and "colorful" Aunt Rose, she is able to find employment that helps her and Chloe to live independently from family assistance. This awakens in Fanny the need to become her own woman and she finds she enjoys her job, and the rouge scriptwriter Charlie. To complicate her feelings is a love-interest of Chloe's pediatrician, Ezra, who has his own ideas of what a woman's place is in a family dynamic. This era of McCarthyism and blacklisting lends a backdrop to the story that enhances the characters as they struggle with ideas and desires for their futures. A very interesting book with likeable as well as sometimes entertaining characters. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read and review this advance reader copy. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #NetGalley #TheTroubleWithYou

Important things you need to know about The Trouble with You:

Pace: Medium

POV: 3rd person (mainly Fannie, but the author occasionally switches to Chloe).

Trigger Warnings: The Trouble with You contains sexism, grief, death, PTSD, and antisemitism. If any of these trigger you, I suggest not reading the book.

Language: There is mild swearing in The Trouble with You. There is also language used that might offend some people.

Setting: The Trouble with You is set in New York City.

Plot Synopsis (as spoiler-free as I can get):

In post-World War II New York City, Fannie lives her best life. Her husband is home from the war. They had just bought a house on the outskirts of New York City and were blissfully happy. But that all ends the night when Max suffers an aneurysm and dies in Fannie’s arms. Now a widow with a small child to care for, Fannie needs to bring income in. She soon lands a job as a secretary for a woman who runs radio serials. There, she is introduced to a whole new world that fascinates her. But, with the blacklist ongoing and HUAC running rampant, she is also afraid that her life could be torn apart as quickly as she built it back up. When one of the writers, a handsome man named Charlie, gets blacklisted, Fannie takes that opportunity to move ahead in her job. But with HUAC breathing down her neck, can Fannie do it? Can Fannie make a life for her daughter and herself and find love? Or will McCarthyism and helping a blacklisted writer be her downfall?

My review:

I rarely read books set in the years between World War II and the Vietnam War. So, when Saint Martin’s Press emailed the widget to me, and I read the blurb, I was very intrigued. I have heard of HUAC and McCarthy mentioned in real life (through documentaries), but I have yet to read a book set in that era. So, I decided to download The Trouble with You. I was pleasantly surprised because this was a fascinating look into the early roots of feminism and going against what society (at that time) expected a woman to be.

The main storyline in The Trouble with You follows Fanny and Chloe throughout their lives. It was a well-written, often heartbreaking story that kept me glued to the book. I ran the gauntlet of emotions while reading, and yes, that is a good thing!!

I enjoy reading books where I can see a character grow from child to adult, and The Trouble with You is that type of book and I got to see that with Chloe. But I also liked seeing how Fanny changed. She went from a grief-stricken young widow who didn’t have any work experience to a woman who wasn’t afraid to take charge and get what she wanted. That was something that I enjoyed reading because the author made it so life-like. Things didn’t happen from Fanny overnight. No, she had to work to get where she was in the radio serial field.

There was romance and a love triangle in The Trouble with You. At one point, Fanny was engaged to one man but in love with another and still grieving her dead husband. It was a cluster. But Fanny sorted it all out and ended up with the right guy.

The angle that explored McCarthyism and HUAC was fascinating to me. As I mentioned above, this was something that I had seen in documentaries. Having a book that had several of the characters deal with the blacklisting and trials was pretty amazing. The author didn’t tone it down, either. I had chills when I read the scene when the HUAC agents interrogated Fanny at her job.

I also liked that there was a feminist angle to the book. I adored Aunt Rose. She was light years ahead of time with some of her views. What she said during the bra-burning scene (at the end of the book) summed her up perfectly.

The end of The Trouble with You was the only part of the book I didn’t like. It did feel a little rushed. While I thought Fanny ended up with the right person, it didn’t gel with me. But other than that, I enjoyed the book.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Griffin, NetGalley, and Ellen Feldman for allowing me to read and review this ARC of The Trouble with You. All opinions expressed in this review are mine.

Unfortunately, this book did not do it for me. The storyline was not that captivating, and the entire time I kept trying to figure out the meaning of the title.

I won't be recommending this book.

The Trouble with You by Ellen Feldman is an interesting piece of historical fiction set post WWII New York. It was a little slow in parts, but the growth of Fanny kept me glued to the story. Fanny had the perfect life until one day it tragically fell apart. She is college educated and set out to use her knowledge in the aftermath of losing her husband. She collected her inner strength when she landed a job and forged out into the workforce, even with the titter and gossip of other women. The struggles that Fanny overcame especially the stigma of being a single woman made her a strong female lead. Rosie, her aunt is a great support and quite the character herself.

If post WWII is of interest to you this is good book to add to your list.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the arc.

The Trouble With You by Ellen Feldman is an engaging and intelligent look back at American 1950s culture. WWII is over and the country is in a progressive economic period, but the prewar rules about women’s roles in the home and society are still in effect. It’s the story of Fanny, a twenty something widow and mother, who is caught between these expectations and the need to support herself and her child. It’s also, to a lesser extent, the story of Rose, Fanny’s aunt and surrogate mother, who was a woman way ahead of her time.
I absolutely loved Ms. Feldman’s portrayal of this period. That may be strongly due to the fact that this was the era of my childhood. But it was far more than nostalgia. I recalled everything with the view I had as a child and at the same time, the perspective I have as a mature adult. The refreshed and expanded experience was personally meaningful. It was a good thing to look at the past with appreciation for the culture of my childhood and for how far we have come since its barriers have been diminished.
This was a first book for me for this author. Her writing is cinematic, fast paced and full of snappy dialogue. It was easy to be immersed in the period and the story. I would definitely read anything Ms. Feldman writes.
Thank you to the author, the publisher St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an ARC.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Griffin for the chance to read The trouble with you by Ellen Feldman. The premise is what drew me to request this book. Set in New York after the WWII it tells the story of Fanny, who loses her husband shortly after he comes home from the war. I found the beginning of the book really slow, and while it picked up in the middle, I thought the characters were shallow. As Fanny starts to work to support her daughter and herself, she ends up dealing with the HUAC (The House Committee on Un-American Activities) when she goes to work for a writer of radio soap operas. Overall this book was just an ok read, and I wasn't a fan of the ending. If you are interested in historicals dealing with the aftermath of WWII, the McCarthy era, and the beginning of Women's lib, you may enjoy this.

This is an engrossing read about life in NYC after WWII. Following Fanny whose life is turned upside down in an instant, the reader learns how women were treated in the post-war time period along with the palpable feel of McCarthyism. Fanny comes into her own as a modern, independent woman as she grapples with loss, motherhood, and finding love again. It’s a fast-paced read with great historical detail and complexity.

Interesting 50's novel

I thoroughly enjoyed "The Trouble with You". As a lady of a certain age, I was alive in the '50's but was too young to understand some of the issues of the era, the post-war return to the kitchen, the anti-communist era, the limited choices for women especially considering the number of war widows and other widows (as was our heroine). Makes one think!

Thank you to the publisher who lent me an e-arc via Netgalley. This review is optional and my own opinion.

In post-WWII New York we meet Fanny Fabricant, one of the lucky wives whose husband comes back from Europe and starts his career as a surgeon. Their daughter Chloe is a great character who get to see grow up through the years.

But Fanny isn't lucky for long when her husband dies suddenly after returning from a family wedding. Fanny has to move out of their home and into the job market. After a rough start she lands a job as a secretary for a producer of radio serials (not soaps!). She flourishes there and also makes friends with writers and actors, two in particular.

But in 1950's media, beware of Joe McCarthy and the "Red Scare". Fanny's friends are blacklisted and she is caught between doing nothing and trying to help without putting herself and daughter in danger. Fanny has also started dating and it is apparent that Ezra doesn't want a wife of his to work and yet Fanny has found much to enjoy in working.

It is a sign of the times the struggles that women had in the 1950's but so much of what occurred politically seems to be returning here, you must kiss the ring and tow the company line or you're a dissident and run out of town. I enjoyed the refences to HUAC (House Un-American Activities Committee) and how that affected people's lives than the romance in the novel. It was apparent early on how that would be resolved.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

During WWII, women had to find a new role in our world. Afterwards, many were caught between what they had created, and returning to the life they had prior to the war. Many were changed from having left the home and working. Fanny feels caught between two worlds, as many women did.

The author did a good job of allowing the reader to feel the pull to both sides, the life expected to a life of unknown adventures. I enjoyed the writing, but felt the book moved along slower than I prefer. I think for anyone who enjoys historical fiction, this is a great book that showcases the period of time immediately following WWII.

From the blurb:
Set in New York City in the heady aftermath of World War II, when the men were coming home, the women were exhaling in relief, and everyone was having babies, The Trouble with You is the story of Fanny Fabricant, whose rosy future is upended in a single instant. Educated for a career as a wife and mother, she is torn between her cousin Mimi, who is determined to keep her a “nice girl,” and her aunt Rose, who has a rebellious past of her own.

Forging a new life, she gets a job in radio serials. Then through her friendship with an actress who stars in and a man who writes the series, she comes face-to-face with the blacklist, which is wrecking lives.

Ultimately, Fanny must decide between playing it safe or doing what is right in this vivid evocation of a world that seems at once light-years away and strangely immediate.

It was interesting to me to read about this time period after WWII, the blacklist in the media, and the HUAC or House Un-American Activities Committee. Fanny was just like any other American housewife of the time until she's forced to go out and find a job during a time when women are expected to step aside and let the returning men fill the available jobs. She's looked down on by other women in her community, but with the support of an actress friend she becomes string and confident. The ending was a bit predictable but overall I really enjoyed this book.
Thanks to St. Martin's Press through Netgalley for the advance copy of this book. The opinions in this review are my own and given voluntarily.

Ellen Feldman’s The Trouble with You brings post-WWII women’s roles and McCarthy Era blacklists to life. Educated in one of the famed Seven Sisters colleges, Florence “Fanny” Fabricant has been taught that a good education prepares young women to marry a successful man and raise intelligent children. Fanny has a good start in that direction when tragedy strikes, and she must support herself and her bright young daughter Chloe. With no job skills other than the ability to type, Fanny lands a secretarial job working for an editor overseeing radio series, THE popular entertainment of the day. Quickly learning that the series are never to be called “soaps,” Fanny meets others in the business, most notably a script writer and a voice actress. Through these two people, and her rebellious Aunt Rose, Fanny is introduced to McCarthyism and the blacklists that destroyed so many writers’ and performers’ careers.

Add to the House on Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) two attractive, but opposite men attracted to Fanny, who has been taught to follow the rules and make the safe choices. Ellen Feldman has devised a plot guaranteed to hold many a reader’s attention.

As a child in the 1950s and early 1960s, I was blissfully ignorant of McCarthyism until later history classes, but I well knew the expectations placed on young women. For example, I recall being told that one can attract more young men with cookies than with education. Fortunately, I didn’t listen, but I certainly understood the pressure on somewhat older young women to find a good husband and raise children as one’s life’s goal. Although I found The Trouble with You a bit slow at the start, it picked up, and I enjoyed Feldman’s chosen setting and the research that made it come alive. Equipped with an elite education, Fanny finds herself grappling with life experiences—with conflicting ideas and moral and personal choices.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a digital advance reader copy of Ellen Feldman’s latest historical novel.

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