In 1960, Amelia "Mia" Walker has tended to her dying father, and wonders what she'll do next. She works at a bakery so is no stranger to hard work. One day a customer, Theo Gillette, offers her the chance at a whole new life: travel to Paris and join the House of Rousseau to become a model. To sweeten the deal, he gives her a plane ticket with no strings attached.

Initially thinking she'll cash the ticket in, Mia impulsively decides instead that she'll take Gillette's offer, and arrives in Paris. She's put up at a flat with two other Rousseau models, Maeve and Elizabeth, and is slowly taught deportment and some French by the design house. Soon Mia is walking down runways and attending sparkling parties, wearing the beautiful Rousseau designs.

We also meet another resident of Mia's building, Madame Fournier, who left her staid, adult boys' expectations to move to Paris, and who keeps a close eye on the models in the apartment, for her own mysterious reasons.

After a little time successfully modelling, Gillette begins asking the naive Mia to pass on enigmatic phrases to specific party guests. Puzzled, she does, but gradually begins to wonder what is really going on. Before too long, Mia begins to realize she's being followed, and that her room in the shared flat has been searched.

Mia does not understand what is happening, but between warnings from an American man she meets at a party to being followed and to more shocking incidents, Mia begins to understand that she is a small part of a bid to sway political power during the Cold War.

Author Julia Bryan Thomas does a great job of creating a compelling story with a likeable protagonist who is forced to open her eyes to the wider, political and economic influences in the world.

I loved all the details Thomas provided of working at a fashion house, as well as Mia's joy at exploring a new city. Though not a country bumpkin, she gains much poise, a little ruthlessness, and a deeper understanding of herself and the world over the course of the story.

I greatly enjoyed the novel, and the audiobook, which I also listened to while reading. Ri Paige's voice is wonderfully textured, soothing when it needed to be, and clipped during action scenes. The characters come to life and I loved how well she conveyed Mia's growth.

Thank you to Netgalley, Sourcebooks Landmark and Tantor Audio for these ARCs in exchange for my review.

In this unique and high-stakes new historical fiction novel, readers are dropped into 1960s Paris and the fashion industry when Mia, who works a normal job at a bakery, is offered a dream job as a model for the House of Rousseau in Paris. While the life is intense, Mia loves her new life and the glamour and glitz of it all, but not everything is as it seems, since the fashion house is drawing its models into the political intrigue and espionage of the Cold War, bordering on outright international crimes. As she discovers the secrets of her new life, Mia must decide how far she is willing to go for her country and for her employers and friends. With its thrilling international setting against the Cold War, readers will love the complex detail and historical backdrop of this fascinating new novel. Mia is an interesting protagonist, and readers are just as in the dark as she is throughout the novel’s events, so the twists and turns will pull readers into the story. High stakes, exciting, and surprisingly emotional, this book is a great and gripping historical fiction thriller that fans of mysteries and historical intrigue will absolutely love.

This was a very slow read for me, I kept putting it down and would pick it back up in hopes getting hooked.

Thank you Netgalley, SOURCEBOOKS Landmark | Sourcebooks Landmark and Julia Bryan Thomas for free e-ARC of The Kennedy Girl in return of my honest review.

Unfortunately, my experience with The Kennedy Girl was far from enjoyable. Despite the hype surrounding this book, it didn't live up to my expectations.

First and foremost, the plot felt overly predictable and, at times, even tedious. The story didn't grab my attention in the way I had hoped, and it lacked the depth and complexity I often look for in a good read. The pacing was inconsistent; there were moments of stagnation that left me bored, only for the narrative to suddenly rush through important events with little buildup.

The characters were another letdown. They seemed one-dimensional, with motivations that were either unclear or entirely implausible. I found it hard to care about their struggles, and I wasn't invested in their development, which made the emotional beats of the story fall flat.


While I can understand why some readers might enjoy this book, it simply wasn't for me. I couldn't connect with the story, characters, or writing, and it ultimately left me feeling disappointed.

I am quite late for my review of The Kennedy Girl (life happens!) I really enjoyed this book! Mia is a bit naïve, but I guess that can be expected of a 19-year-old. The book started picking up for me when she found out what she was really being used for (won't spoil it!). All in all, this was a book I enjoyed a lot and would recommend it to a historical fiction fan!

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy. I am not a reviewer who will retell the plot, just my feelings towards the book as the reader can look up the plot themselves.

Having grown up during the Cold War, I found myself drawn into this story from the beginning. The story doesn’t appear to be based on any actual person just the unsettled events of that time frame. For a nineteen-year-old girl without any family to take a chance on an offer to model in France at that time would have been very risky and not likely but it makes a good story. The characters are crafted in such a way that it is hard to decide who the bad guys are and it was disappointing to see the delivery driver turned out to be on the wrong side. The story does however end on a positive note.

This one took me way too long to read, but I blame that on the fact that I just don't have the concentration to read these days. I'd much rather turn on the tv and zone for hours on end. Once I settled into this one and was determined to finish, I found it quite enjoyable. Our little Mia finds herself hired as a model for a fashion house in Paris that is way more than just a fashion house, and she gets mixed up in espionage and danger. I think that for anyone who likes a little history and intrigue, this one would be a good fit.

I was very hopeful for this book. I've always been a Jackie Kennedy fan and thought it would reflect more of that side of the story since it was titled as such. However, the story just fell flat. It felt one dimensional and I just wasn't interested enough to see the book through.
DNF @42%

There is nothing I love more as a historical fiction lover than a book where the FMC gets lost in an espionage plot in a glamorous world that in a way no longer exists. The picture that was painted was vivid and transported me back to the 60’s. I was engaged the entire time I was reading it.

A stranger presents Mia with a once in a lifetime opportunity- a ticket to Paris to be one of the House of Rousseau’s models in Paris. Mia lost her father recently and decides to take a risk.

She becomes the fashion house’s lead model as a world of espionage is unveiled to her. Suddenly, Mia has to decide who to trust and what side she is on.

@juliabryanthomas_author this was a fun read!!! The fashion house was such an interesting backdrop and the warring sides kept me wondering who Mia was safe with. Can’t wait to read your other work!

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Thanks to @netgalley and @sourcebooks for this #advancedreaderscopy - pub date was 1/21/25

#2025bookchallengebook10of100
#thekennedygirl
#netgalley
#twopuppiesaremessingwithmyreading

This started out so slow with the scene setting in Paris that I switched to the audiobook. That didn’t help. It took forever to set the scene and then about halfway though, it’s like another book started, as if the author was told to pick it up and espionage is thrown in to liven it up. But by then, I’d lost interest in the story. It didn’t help that several common French words were mispronounced throughout and it grated on my nerves. It seems nitpicky but could they not find someone who could pronounce monsieur correctly? This will be of interest to those who like fashion and are into the slow burn of spy work in France. It didn’t work for me.

A fascinating book set in the 1960's with an intriguing main character. Mia has no idea what's in store for her when she snares a one way ticket to Paris and a modelling job with the House of Rousseau. Mia takes a chance on what turns out to be life-changing decision and quickly discovers there is more than fashion and glamour at stake. It's the Cold War and she finds herself caught up in situations that are far beyond her experience. Clever and resouorceful she finds herself caught up in espionage in a fabulous Parisienne setting. Highly recommend. Fascinating plot and layered, complex characters.

Thank you Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for the DRC of The Kennedy Girl! All opinions in this review are my own.

Although the pace is a bit slow, the adventure Mia has in Paris makes up for it. I don't love when books including snippets of exciting things to come or say something ominous and then take awhile to get there, but overall, this was an exciting read!

This wasn't for me. The characters were very flat, and I ended up not caring about what happened to any of them.

The Kennedy Girl is a moving historical fiction that explores love, loss, and the impact of the Kennedy family. Thomas’ writing brings the era to life with rich detail and emotional depth.

The first part of this book was a little boring. It felt really one dimensional. It had all the makings to be exceptional but it feel a bit flat for me.

Now don't get me wrong, the 2nd half of the book really was worth getting through.

I wish It had had more pazzazz

It could have been bold!

3 stars

Thank you to Netgalley for providiing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. The book takes place in the 1960s when Amelia is approached by a male stranger who tells her she should be a model for the House of Rousseau in Paris. The timing is perfect for Amelia as she her parents have died and she is a bit stuck in life without anything to tie her to the US. She moves to Paris and shares a flat with two other models. The book lets you in on the fact that she is being used right away but you don't really know how until the mysteries all start to unravel. No Spoilers. I will say that I was disappointed to find that this book has almost nothing to do with Jaqueline or the other Kennedys. Jackie was fashionable and went to Paris. Amelia wanted to be regarded in the same way Jackie was. I didn't like the title at all in regards to the book. The story was fine and I am glad to have read this book. I would read from the author again. However it wasn't anything truly unique or engaging. 3.5 stars.

A post World War II historical thriller set against the backdrop of the Paris fashion scene, The Kennedy Girl is a suspenseful page turner from page one! This was my first Julia Bryan Thomas novel but definitely not my last!

Julia Bryan Thomas’ ‘The Kennedy Girl’ is my first book by this author. It is a novel of vast juxtapositions of dazzling Parisian glamour and fashion and Cold War intrigue.

Nineteen-year-old Amelia “Mia” Walker leaves her New York City bakery job for the opportunity of a lifetime: modeling for the prestigious House of Rousseau in Paris. She has lost her mother at an early age and just recently lost her father. She has nothing to keep her in NYC. She takes a scary leap and moves to Paris. She quickly immerses herself in Paris’ culture and daily happenings. However our protagonist is naive and doesn’t immediately see the dark underbelly of the fashion world.

Mia finally figures out that she has unwittingly become part of an espionage scheme. The House of Rousseau is using it’s models to deliver cryptic messages to Cold War operatives during her modeling appearances. As the stakes become higher and riskier Mia must make a choice whether to risk all of her dreams - or her safety while navigating the mysterious and dangerous lines between glamour and espionage.

Ms. Thomas’ characters are richly drawn. Besides Mia, I was especially drawn to Mia’s next door neighbor. The characters are quite interesting, brave and naive at times. The plot itself is a mysteriously woven tale of loss, self discovery, secrets, betrayal, espionage, politics, love and determination. Ms. Thomas also creates a beautiful and vivid depiction of 1960s Paris. You can see the street and apartment where Mia lives. You can feel the elegance of the House of Rousseau and it’s various rooms. The Kennedy Girl expertly combines the allure of high fashion with the suspense of a spy thriller.

I was very pleased to be able to read this novel. Ms. Thomas is an author I will look forward to reading in the future. I can’t wait to see what she has for us next. I would like to thank Ms. Thomas, Sourcebooks Landmark, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Sourcebooks Landmark #partner, for the advanced e-copy of The Kennedy Girl in exchange for my honest review.

This was definitely a case of me needing to read anything having to do with the Kennedy’s, especially Jackie Kennedy as to why I requested this one. Color me surprised when this turned out to be more than just a light-hearted historical fiction novel! This was one time when I definitely did not read anything about the book before going into it and I loved it even more than I thought I would!

This is a slow-burn historical thriller that takes us into the world of fashion in Paris with a side of espionage during the Cold War and I could not have been more engaged in this story. The Cold War is one time period in history that I have really come to love reading about, especially when women are involved, and I loved how the author played around with that here.

The first part of the book really sets us up for what is to come, laying the foundation, introducing us to the characters and the setting. And during this time, there is an underlying hint that something sinister is about to come, but you aren’t quite sure what. Then in the second half of the book, the espionage part really takes off and at that point, I could not put the book down! I had no idea what would happen next or how it would all play out and I needed answers!

This is the first book I’ve read by this author and it definitely won’t be the last!