As much as I love memoirs and biographies I have a very hard time with fictionalized biographies. I spend nearly the entire book trying to figure out what’s truth and what’s not and it makes the whole experience thoroughly unpleasant. I was so wary when I picked this book, but I have always found Jackie Kennedy Onassis to be fascinating and I couldn’t resist.
This book opens right before Jackie and JFK meet and follows Jackie throughout the next 40 years. It’s written so beautifully with Jackie narrating in first person as though she is talking to Jack and has interludes of Jack’s point of view from the third person. Ms. Tripp truly brings us up close and personal into the life the classiest woman in the last century.
In her author’s note Dawn Tripp says “E. L. Doctorow once said, ‘The historian will tell you what happened. The novelist will tell you what it felt like.’” This and the knowledge that Ms. Tripp thoroughly researched her subject made this fictionalize biography the most enjoyable one I have ever read.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for an advanced copy of this. I’m sorry it took me so long to get to it. Jackie hit the shelves on June 18th.

I enjoed the first person narrative of Jackie in this novel. It really set the stage from the onset.

Thank you @netgalley for the Advanced Reader Copy of Jackie by Dawn Tripp. This is the imagined story of Jackie Kennedy Onassis, from meeting Jack to her death. It starts with the assassination, goes back and forth through the rest of her life. There have been so many books about her, hard to see how there is room for another one. But I always seem to read them! If you like Jackie O, good one to read. #jackie #dawntripp #netgalley #advancedreadercopy #lovetoread #bookstagram #readersofinstagram #jacquelinekennedyonassis #takeapagefrommybook

Jackie by Dawn Tripp drew me in from the very first chapter! Starting with JFK's assassination we get an intimate look into what it would mean to be the first lady in such turbulent times. I learned so much from reading this and thoroughly enjoyed it. Highly recommend!

This is a beautifully written historical fiction of Jackie, before, during, and after Jack. Jackie was, like a more recent First Lady, married to a powerful man who often strayed from his marriage, while absolutely needing his wife by his side. Her strength and grace and love come through in this intimate portrait of an imperfect woman who lived much of her life in the spotlight.

I love all things Kennedy related and this book did not disappoint!

Loved:
The way that it was written - historical fiction as its finest as the author imagined many of the conversations that would have taken place between Jackie and her husband in such a beautiful fashion.

It didn't shy away from the reality of JFK's affairs or his shortcomings.

Showcased her personality in a way that acknowledged her humanity but still gave us the glamorous, smart, effective woman she was.


Thanks to NetGalley, Dawn Tripp, and Random House Publishing for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

Jackie by Dawn Tripp offers a poignant and nuanced portrayal of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, capturing the complexities of her life as a public figure and a private individual. Tripp's lush prose paints a vivid picture of Jackie’s world, from her glamorous appearances to her personal struggles, providing readers with a deeper understanding of her character. The exploration of themes such as loss, resilience, and the burdens of fame adds emotional depth to the narrative, making it an engaging read for those interested in the iconic first lady's life.

However, while the writing is beautiful, the pacing can feel uneven, with some sections dragging and others racing through significant events. Additionally, certain characterizations may lack the depth needed to fully resonate, leaving readers wanting more insight into Jackie’s relationships beyond the surface. Overall, Jackie is a well-crafted tribute to an extraordinary woman, but it doesn’t quite reach the emotional heights it aspires to, making it an enjoyable but somewhat uneven experience.

This book was amazing! I have read many books about Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, and this was by far my favorite. The writing is exquisite. I enjoyed that the author took details and biographical information and wrote the novel to better portray her. It is a book about a love story, and a very complicated marriage but also about a woman portraying her and Jack with their strengths, weaknesses. I highly recommend.

“The world has divided my life into three:
Life with Jack
Life with Onassis
Life as a woman who goes to work because she wants to.
My life is all of these things, and it is none of these things. They continue to miss what’s right in front of them. I love books. I love the sea. I love horses. Children. Art. Ideas. History. Beauty. Because beauty blows us open to wonder.
Even the beauty that breaks your heart.”

What an incredible book! I found myself very anxious to come home from work every night so I could keep reading. A wonderful Jackie Kennedy account from her younger years on, and allows you to see a side of her that you probably did not expect.

i'm not traditionally a historical fiction girlie, but Dawn Tripp really did something with this story. the minute details woven throughout a story many of us know bits and pieces of already was so fascinating, and i loved it. with stories like this interweaving fact and fiction, i love that after the book, you're drawn to learning more about the person or getting details on stories you may not have known as well before. the tide may be turning for me on historical fiction.

Jackie by Dawn Tripp was a surprise stunner for me! It gives a full look at Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis, not just during her famous years as JFK’s wife, but throughout her whole life. I am not a Jackie O follower and learned so much. Learning about all the different stages of her life made me see her as more than just a public figure. The book really puts you inside Jackie’s head, so you can understand how she felt during the biggest moments of her life — her marriage, the assassination, and her need to reinvent herself after everything she went through. I understand this was a work of fiction, and sometimes I had to remind myself that this was not necessarily the truth because it felt so real.

Even though the book is long, it never felt boring because the writing was so emotional and interesting. You really get to know Jackie as a person, not just as someone from history. The story is well-researched and makes you feel like you're right there with her, which kept me hooked even though I knew how things would end. It’s a powerful and personal look at her life, and I’d definitely give it 5 stars!

4.5

Having a read a number of non-fiction books on Jackie, this was my first historical fiction. Author Dawn Tripp has done a good job with her research on Jackie's life from before she was Mrs. Kennedy to until she passed away. I was afraid it would be filled with too much "fluff" which would never do justice to Jackie.

I think I admire a woman like Jackie who was intelligent and wanted to make her own way in life yet kept running into men who wanted her for themselves, wanted to control her. But in the end she was Mrs. Kennedy, Mrs Onassis but always an intelligent, independent woman charting her own path.

My thanks to Net Galley and Random House for an advanced copy of this e-book.

This reads as a love story to Jackie herself. Everyone knows JFK, but no one really knows Jackie Kennedy, before she was a Kennedy and after no longer being a Kennedy. This book brings her back to life. Brings her to the spotlight, instead of off to the side of the men in her life. Truly a great read!

Such a great book! So many things in the book you may have already have known because it is the true history, but to get the "backstory" and Jackie's thoughts behind things made their life so much more real to me, especially since I all I know of them is just from stories and history.

I have always been fascinated by Jackie and found this book to be a great read from Jackie's perspective. The woman, the myth, and the legend are revealed in this fictional novel set around the real lives and events that she lived through. This book did a great job of showing that Jackie was more than just JFK's wife. She was multifaceted and wore many hats.

The writing was stellar with quotes and prose scattered throughout. The writing was just so beautiful with the characters being fully fleshed out in my mind, and I don't think this was simply because they are such well known individuals throughout history. The author truly made these icons relatable and real.

To be honest, I first felt like the book became very disjointed after Jackie lost JFK and was a bit all over the place, but upon reflection I truly believe this may have been done on purpose by the author as a metaphor. We can only imagine what the inside of Jackie's mind was truly like after living through so much trauma, and especially at being the first hand witness of the murder of her beloved husband.

Warning: this book sent me down several Kennedy related rabbit-holes and it might do the same to you.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for an advanced reader copy of the eBook in exchange for an honest review.

This was a really well done, idealized version of Jackie's life--it was really enjoyable. It was easy to read--unlike some nonfiction.

Jackie by Dawn Tripp was a remarkable novel. I have read several books about Jackie Kennedy but this this one had a different perspective since it was in Jackie's voice. I learned so much more about her life. I loved this historical novel. Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

"The first time you marry for love, the second for money, and the third for companionship."
Jackie Kennedy

What else can be said about Jacqueline Onassis? Dawn Tripp shows in her excellent novel plenty. The novel explores Jackie's childhood, her courtship of JFK on November 22, 1963, and its aftermath. What Tripp did incredibly well is showing Jackie's PTSD after November 22nd and how it affected her and her children afterward (marrying Onassis for protection after Bobby Kennedy's murder) Jackie is a must for historical novel fans.

As someone who was a big Jackie O fan this one really was intersting to me. I think it was very different than what I had anticipated it would be like.

Jackie takes the reader into the depths of Jackie Kennedy Onassis' life. This was a great topic for a historical fiction, to try to get into the thoughts & feelings of such an American icon. I loved to learn that Jackie was such an intellectual & wanted to be a more modern women. She wanted to work at a time that women were expected to be wives first & focus on managing a home. The author really paints the pictures of Jackie's different phases of life. I enjoyed googling the photos of public events to see exactly what was being described. It was a facinating look into a woman who has been described as American royalty.

It would have been nice if photos had been included. So many events that were described were photographed & it helps the reader better connect & immerse in the story.