Member Reviews
"Every Time We Say Goodbye" is Natalie Jenner's third book in the series starting with "The Jane Austen Society" and continuing in "Bloomsbury Girls." Readers who enjoyed these earlier books will appreciate this one as well, but should be aware that it is only obliquely connected to the other two books through the character of Vivian, the bookshop worker and erstwhile writer from "Bloomsbury Girls," who, as "Every Time We Say Goodbye" begins, has decided to move to Rome as a scriptwriter at Cinecittà Film Studios after her latest West End play is once again savaged by the London critics..Jenner makes the most of this glamorous new setting, introducing a cast of new characters and exploring the intrigue of post World War II Italy, where the Catholic Church wields an iron hand and the Fascist past is always roiling beneath the sun-soaked surface. Juggling several storylines--Vivian's romance with a mysterious American producer, her friendship with Claudia, an American actress who seems to be loosely based on Dolores Hart, and (most interestingly for me) her search for information about her dead fiance, David, who apparently was held in Italy as a prisoner of war--Jenner fleshes out Vivian's life in Rome and, as she did in her earlier books, peppers it with real-life figures such as Sophia Loren and Gina Lollobrigida. These scenes alternate with periodic flashbacks following a young woman in the Italian resistance on a dangerous mission, whose story provides suspense and ties into Vivian's life in ways that become clear by the novel's end. Most reviews seem to be positive, but there do seem to be some readers who are disappointed that this book strays so far from the storylines of the previous "Jane Austen Society" books. I, however, thoroughly enjoyed the beautifully-detailed new setting and Vivian's starring role in it. It can easily be read as a standalone, but characters from the earlier books do pop up from time to time, which added some fun for those readers familiar with the earlier books. NOTE: I listened to the audiobook of this title and, while narrator Juliet Aubrey does a nice job with the Italian names and phrases and with Vivian's English voice, the "American" accents she uses, particularly for the American men, almost put me off listening entirely. I think I would have enjoyed this book more if I were reading it myself.
Thank you to NetGalley and to Macmillan Audio for providing me with an audio ARC of this title in return for my honest review.
Everytime we Say Goodbye by Natalie Jenner is a book that can be read as a standalone although it is the 3rd book in a series by this author. I didn't realize that when I started it, but it was still an enjoyable read. I liked the production, acting side of this book. The cover is beautiful and that is what drew me in, but the story was enjoyable with what things look liked for people in the film world after the war in Europe. Thank you for the opportunity to listen to this book, I loved the Narrator, she was the ideal person to voice this book.
This is one of those books that I was so grateful for it to be over. There were way too many characters, side stories, meandering plots, and I felt absolutely no connection to any character.
The audio was difficult in that the narrator's accent was extremely strong and there were so many characters and side plots that I never quite knew where we were at or who anyone was.
This is book three of a series so I wonder if I was at a disadvantage not having read the prior books.
Overall, this book absolutely was not for me. The writing was well done and if you absolutely love WWII historical fiction and film you will likely enjoy it much more than I did.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press, MacMillan Audio, and NetGalley for the copy.
Thank you MacMillan Audio for Every Time We Say Goodbye by Natalie Jenner. I have enjoyed this author's previous two books and this book, an extension of those first two (though it can stand on its own) is a compelling, if different, addition to the series. What I liked about this book was a lot of themes often present in Jenner's work: women have always wanted to be their own voice and to find their own way and will often pursue not just dreams but also real skills, talent, and ambition despite, or because of, hardship. I love these themes and I really like Vivian as a character, seeing her grow and change, expand on her identity. What is also interesting in this book is for me the style is a bit different and though it might turn off some readers, understandably, I actually liked that Jenner wrote this a bit differently, I like to see an author try new tones and ways of sharing stories, of perhaps even using a change of style to allow the reader to feel how a character is changing or how the character is embracing new places and next chapters. For me I love that there is an interesting character to engage with, spend time with; many will like the historical themes and settings/notes, which are great, but it's about the characters for me and I always like how Jenner writes characters who I want to know about.
This was a great book. Set in 1955, with look backs on things that happened during WW2. I really enjoyed the writing and have to go back and read the first two books in this series.
I was fascinated with Vivien’s journey in Italy. I was appalled by some of the things the Catholic Church did, and how they treated and also coerced people to do their will.
In all I really loved this book. It is a great read for anybody who liked historical fiction.
The audio version of this book was excellent. The narrator did a great job.
I have loved the authors previous work and I was so excited to listen to this one, but I just was so bored. I could not get into the story at all and after three hours of listening felt like nothing had happened. I DNF this, which I never do, but I just couldn’t listen anymore.
Wonderful third book of the series. I felt like this book grabbed the readers attention right away much more dramatically than the first two on the series. This author did a great job continuing the storyline but also make this book able to stand on its own. The author also did well as tying together multiple POVs over many years. It was easy to keep up with the story and know what was happening even with switching POVs. She also brought many emotions out for the reader through out the book. I was able to be sucked in and feel the pain and sadness and joy of the characters. Lastly this story has dramatic plot twists that are believable but catch you by surprise. I never felt like the story was too predicable.
Every Time We Say Goodbye is an ambitious novel with multiple subplots that takes place mostly in the 50s in Rome, Italy.
The novel's prologue opens in 1943 with a beautiful and brave young woman member of the Italian resistance who fights secretly to rid Rome of the Nazis.
Later on, the first Chapter is about Vivian from the Bloomsbury Girls (Jane Austen Society Trilogy book 2), who will rewrite a screenplay in Italy where she will find out many secrets about the Italian film industry.
The novel emphasizes the influence of the Vatican in the Italian cinema, but as well it is also about the unknown whereabouts of the people who dissappear during WWII and the pain and trauma that people faced during the poswar.
The novel is slightly connected to the two previous ones, so it could work as a stand-alone.
The author managed to give full closure to each of the storylines and characters, but because of all the things going on in the novel, I couldn't connect fully with the main character.
I started reading the first half of the book, but I was struggling a bit, and I wasn't hooked enough. Later, I received the audiobook, and it worked better for me.
The audiobook is narrated by Juliet Aubrey actress and narrator, and her voice is sweet and harmonic.
This wasn't my favorite novel by the author, but I think it is resourceful, and historical fiction fans could enjoy it.
I think there were historical aspects that haven't been portrayed in other novels, so I found it original.
Thank you, Netgalley, St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio for the advanced ebook and audiobook.
Pub date: May 14th, 2024.
I really wanted to like this book, and even made myself skim from about 90% to the end of the book just to finish it. There was nothing gripping about this story that kept me wanting to read more. I kept thinking there was going to be a twist or a turn of some kind that would pull me in, but that point never came. This read more like a diary or a memoir that simply…ends. The number of characters was overwhelming, and without the reference at the beginning of the book, I never would have been able to keep up with who was who and how they fit into the story. I enjoyed the writing style of the author, but wasn’t a fan of the story or the characters. Unless you truly enjoy historical fiction for the simple fact of telling a historically based story, I wouldn’t recommend this one.
Thank you Natalie Jenner and NetGalley for allowing me to read this in advance for an honest review. I selected this title as a fan of the author's previous THE JANE AUSTEN SOCIETY and BLOOMSBURY GIRLS. This was...different. Vivian was in previous novels so I looked forward to reading this. It was not for me, even being a fan of historical fiction. Too many boring, superficial characters that did not hold my interest. At all. I fell asleep (not in a good way) a few times trying to finish this to write a review. I like the history aspect and the backdrop of Italy, but this did not work. My bookclub would not enjoy this slow moving, unreliable plot. This was just not my cup of tea. I liked the synopsis and really tried to get into Vivian in this setting, but alas, it did not work for me. Too much church and meandering storylines. 1.5/5
From the bestselling author of "The Jane Austen Society, this is a refreshing story of post-war Italy, seen through the eyes of a woman who lost her fiance to the tragedy. The tale of Vivien Lowry holds her as the central character. Vivien is a talented writer who tackles the very male-dominated world of scriptwriting. In Italy, she finds a vibrant and exciting movie-making culture that is caught between the most cutting-edge technology of the time and the ever-present scornful eye of the Catholic Church.
Vivien attempts to find herself while cultivating friendships, love, and finding closure about her deceased fiance.
This was well-written, engaging, and fresh. If not a bit long-winded. I enjoyed the listen.
Absolutely stunning. I have been rather sick of WWII historical fiction of late, so was slightly hesitant to pick this up. However, it was worth it. While dealing with aspects of WWII, this focused much more heavily in 1955, in Rome, where Vivian is working as a scriptwriter at Cinecitta Studios. There, she is surrounded by movie stars and bright lights - but she is trying to figure out her next steps following a disastrous reception of her play in London. However, the past is never far from the surface for Vivian and others at Cinecitta. So many are still reeling from their losses during the war, Vivian being no exception.
Told with brief flashbacks to the war, this novel tells the story of a country once broken, piecing itself back together, through the eyes of a pained but resilient heroine. Further, this was an audiobook and the narration was spot on.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an advanced production of this audiobook.
Natalie Jenner takes the reader right into the life of Viven and mid 1900s life as a Starlet that, while beautiful, is not exempt from the heartbreak and sorrow found in 1950s Europe. You'll find yourself in a life much like a cinema film, amazing on the surface with so many tragedies, sorrows, tales just below. A beautiful twist on historical fiction.
#arc #netgalley #MacMillanAudio
This is a hard book to review as there was so much going on! It was a third book in the Jane Austin Society but easily stands alone. It is a historical fiction book that jumps back and forth between plots of the Italian film industry of the 1950's, post war Italy and the Vatican trying to censor the film industry with the character Vivian coming to Italy to "fix" the script. But she has unfinished issues with her fiancé who has gone missing since the war. Then there is another plot with the assassin of Rome, a kidnapping, and a woman Tabitha in search of her birth mother. After I read it, I saw the author posted on Good Reads a list of the characters which I highly recommend you keep handy while reading, as it will help with the back and forth. It definitely has a Jane Austin feel as you try to keep track of all the characters and side plots. The narrator does a good job and the story is worth the read.
Vivian is a screen writer in London when she decides to travel to Rome Italy to escape the harsh criticism from her latest one woman play. It is 1955 in the post WWII years and Vivian takes a job as a script doctor in the bustling new movie making machine in Rome’s Cinecitta Studios. Here she meets many up and coming actors and it was fun hearing the names dropped of such actors like Sophia Loren. But Vivian also has another very personal reason for her trip to Italy. It is where her fiancé disappeared and was presumed dead during the war. She still has a smidgeon of hope that he might be alive and she goes looking for him. In the midst of her search trying to mend her broken heart she meets many interesting people, most are scarred by the recent war and as she opens herself up to what really happened in Italy she begins to finally heal. This was a sad yet moving novel that I enjoyed very much. The information regarding the power the Vatican had over movie scripts and what was allowed to be filmed was quite and eye opener for me, the church controlled everything. Highly recommended.
Many thanks to Net Galley and Macmillan Audio for a chance to read/listen to the audio version of this ARC audiobook.
Beautifully narrated and beautifully written, Every Time We Say Goodbye shifts between WWII Italy and a film production in Italy in 1955. Vivien Lowry has moved to Italy to help on editing a film script while also hoping to find answers as to the fate of her fiancee, presumed killed during the war. Brushing up against Italian film stars, remaining members of the Italian resistance and power brokers in the Vatican, Vivien seeks answers to questions concerning all of the people involved in making this film.
Vivien Lowry, an aspiring writer introduced in “Bloomsbury Girls,” is seeking to retreat from poor reviews of her second play. At the advice of supporter Peggy Guggenheim, she leaves London behind to work on a script being developed and filmed in Cinecitta Studios, Rome’s “Hollywood.” Vivien immerses herself in an Italy still recovering from the devastation of World War Two while she also struggles to move beyond the war and death of her fiancé. The city and studio are populated by many expats including artists seeking refuge from the “HUAC” hearings. Vivien narrates as we learn about her fiancé’s past, the Italian resistance, 1955 Rome and its inhabitants with her.
The third book in Natalie Jenner’s “Jane Austen Society” deviates significantly from its predecessors. For the first time, the main character is not a member of the original Jane Austen Society. It also spends much more time in the past than the other two books and no longer rotates through different characters’ perspectives. These shifts make “Every Time We Say Goodbye” even stronger than the previous iterations. Since we spend much more time with Vivien, we are privy to more of her physical and psychological journeys.
“Every Time We Say Goodbye” will be released in the US on May 14, 2024. Many thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for this audio ARC given in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
I listened to this audiobook and also read the book. I like listening to books that take place in foreign countries because then you learn how to pronounce names and places, in this case in Italy. While the book takes place in 1955, reading about Rome makes me want to visit. Interesting story and characters.
Natalie Jenner is back with another beautiful historical fiction novel in the Jane Austen Society universe. This time we are taken into the movie industry in Italy 1950’s with play write turned screenwriter, Vivien. Every Time We Say Goodbye is a wonderful story of love, loss, trauma, and moving on. Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the chance to preview and review this audiobook.
“Scorn would always need a target and, when that disappeared, would inevitably feed on itself. Nothing could be created from the emptiness of scorn—to create, there had to be hope. Hope that something could be built from the ashes that would last. Hope that we, as humans, could be better—could do better.”
Vivien Lowrey, beloved protagonist from the Bloomsbury Girls novel returns in this third installment of The Jane Austen Society books. It’s 1955, and Vivian moves to Italy to escape abysmal reviews of her theatre acting performance, and takes a job as a script editor. Here Ms. Jenner brings Rome’s famous Cinecitta Studios to life! Post-war movie making, including aspiring stars and noted directors, tangles with a dominant and powerful Catholic Church where censorship and hypocritical corruption run rampant.
As Vivian searches for answers about her presumed-dead fiancé she also dives deep into the tragedies of WWII Italy. The synopsis of this novel only briefly touches upon this part of the story, which ultimately takes up the majority of the plot. Filling in the backstory informs the 1955 timeline, but I found the string of somber sub plots incredibly dark, and I missed the more hopeful cadence of the previous books in the series.
Juliet Aubrey’s performance narrating a diverse cast with different accents is excellent. Thanks to Net Galley and Macmillan Audio for the early copy in exchange for my honest opinion.