This book rates a 3.5 stars. It was an intriguing historical fiction spy novel, set in 1961 Paris during the Cold War. Mia is a lonely young woman working in NYC when she is approached with an offer to be a model in Paris. She accepts the job, and her life would never be the same. The pros about the novel- I enjoyed the setting of Paris very much, and I also found the historical aspect of the Cold War in the early 1960’s interesting. Cons- there were too many moving parts going on. It would’ve been a little easier to follow if there weren’t other plot lines. Conversely, perhaps the other plot lines should’ve been fleshed out a little more. The ending for me was a little rushed and convoluted. Overall, it was a worthwhile read.

I'm of two minds about this book. There are some parts that I enjoyed, but the character of Mia was annoying and overly naive at times. I realize that she was only 19, but even a 19-year-old should have been more skeptical of the offer made to her. Okay, rant over!

This book was set in the early 1960s during the middle of the Cold War. Espionage is at its height, and things are so much different in the spying game than I imagine they are today.

Mia, our main character, gets mixed up unknowingly into this game and is a good little sheep, always doing what the "bad" guys want her to do. But playing the role of double agent was quite interesting, and she did it well.

This is a predictable book, but it still has its moments.

ARC* supplied by the publisher Sourcebooks Landmark, the author, and NetGalley.

Thank you Sourcebooks for my #gifted copy of The Kennedy Girl! #bookmarked #sourcebookslandmark #sourcebook

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐊𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐝𝐲 𝐆𝐢𝐫𝐥
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: 𝐉𝐮𝐥𝐢𝐚 𝐁𝐫𝐲𝐚𝐧 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐬
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐉𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝟏𝟒, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓

The Kennedy Girl is the most recent historical fiction novel by author Julia Bryan Thomas takes readers to the Cold War era of espionage and the most prestigious Parisian fashion houses. It follows Mia, who is an orphan who working in a bakery in NYC when a stranger offers her a modeling job in Paris at one of the most prestigious modeling houses. With little support, and no knowledge about the fashion industry, Mia takes the job. It doesn’t take long before Mia realizes that not everything is as it seems, and Mia is pulled into a world of crime and politics.

I enjoyed the premise of this book, but did have a hard time connecting with parts of the book and staying engaged with the plot. I think if you enjoy this time period, this is definitely a book you will want to check out.

Posted on Goodreads on January 15, 2025: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/144922955?ref=nav_profile_l
**Posted on Instagram - Full Review- on or around January 15, 2025: http://www.instagram.com/nobookmark_noproblem
**Posted on Amazon on January 15, 2025
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It was an opportunity that Mia Walker could not turn down. Twenty years old, working in a New York bakery and grieving the recent loss of her father, she was wondering how she would pay her rent when Theo Gillette walked into the bakery and changed her life. Theo worked for a Paris fashion house. He offered her a chance to become one of their models, providing the required training and a chance to travel. Arriving in Paris, MIA shared an apartment with two other models. She received lessons in French, toured the city and learned how to present herself and the clothes that she modeled. After her training, Theo also asked her to attend events to promote their line and pass messages to specific attendees. When she is kidnapped and interrogated about these messages she is rescued by Phillip, a man that she recently met at a club. She had become involved in espionage and Phillip, an American agent, gives her the choice to work with him or face charges of treason.

It is the 1960s. The Cold War is heating up along with the race for nuclear secrets. Mia is sent back to the fashion house to report on activities and her contacts. She can no longer trust anyone, including her roommates. Mia, who arrived in Paris as a naive young girl, grows into a mature, resourceful woman who is capable of handling herself in dangerous situations. While the first part of Julia Bryan Thomas’ story deals with Mia’s entry to the world of fashion and her growing unease with her assignments, the second half deals more with the espionage and political atmosphere, with an appearance of the Kennedys at a state dinner. As an older reader it brought back memories of the sixties, with nuclear drills in school and the tense hours of the Cuban Missile Crisis. Between the descriptions of Paris, the high fashions and espionage this was an enjoyable story that I would definitely recommend. I would like to thank NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for providing this book.

Give me a historical fiction that is in France and it's about a less talked-about subject, the Cold War, and I'm SOLD.

I'm telling you, Danielle STeel is one of my favorite authors and Julia Bryan Thomas' writing is reminiscent of Steel's.

Our main character, Mia, is given the job of a lifetime: a model in Paris in the time when Jackie Kennedy is a famous fashion icon.

This is also in the time of the Nuclear Arms Race and the Red Scare. Mia lived in the times of fear that the US will either be nuked or communism would take over.

As Mia is gaining her bearings in Paris, she unknowingly gets tied up in an espionage ring. But will she be successful or will she get caught?

I started reading this book expecting the glam life of a Parisian model, I definitely did not expect to be glued to a book full of suspense and action!

A well written book of historical fiction,I really enjoyed reading about the Paris fashion world during the 1960s. Mixing in the Cold War and spying.Mia is a wonderful character. # netgalley #the Kennedy Girl

The Kennedy Girl is a very enjoyable read. It is set in Paris during the time of Camelot and the Cold War. Mia is a beautiful young woman living in NYC. Her father has recently died, leaving her with no family. She is working in a bakery when she is approached with the offer of a lifetime. She is asked to move to Paris and model at a prestigious fashion house. Although she is slightly skeptical, Mia accepts the offer and soon finds herself living with two other models in a Paris apartment. As Mia learns how to be a successful model, she is asked to participate in some special assignments. Mia soon finds herself ensnared in something much more serious than she anticipated. The plot is suspenseful and filled with interesting characters. A definite must read for anyone wishing to be swept away to Paris.

In an interview with Elise Dumpleton for Nerd Daily, Julia Bryan Thomas described The Kennedy Girl, her latest novel with these words: “intrigue, glamour, France, fashion, and espionage.” Those words make a terrific starting point for this review. Thomas stepped into the 1960s for this historical fiction. Readers will find high fashion, espionage, mystery, danger, and a bit of romance. What more could readers seek?
Mia, 19, works in a bakery in New York. She is alone. Her mother died when Mia was eleven, and her father has just died after battling cancer. Mia’s whole life is turned upside down when Theo from the famous designer house of Rousseau in Paris offers Mia a dream job: modeling in Paris. Theo gives Mia a check and a plane ticket to Paris. He tells her she can keep the money and cash in the plane ticket, or she can take his offer and fly to Paris to become a model for Rousseau.
What will Mia do? Of course, she has little to look forward to in NYC. She is alone; nursing her father during his illness has cut her off from old friends. At first, Mia thinks she will keep the money and remain in NYC. Then she reconsiders telling herself she can always return to the US!
Mia is naïve with much to learn once she gets to Paris. She rooms with two other models who are much more worldly than she. Mia is a quick study and learns from her two new friends as well as from the others at the House of Rousseau.
As she becomes more comfortable in the world of high fashion, Mia realizes all is not as it seems. I admit to being frightened for Mia when one of the chapters details an anonymous narrator trailing Mia and noting all she does. Who is this narrator? And why is he/she following Mia? Is she in danger?
Theo gives Mia a puzzling assignment. He tells her she will be attending an important party, and a man will ask her where she lives. She is to tell him a particular address, but it is not her address. What is this address and why must she tell this stranger? Passing that message and others like it puts Mia into a world she never dreamed of entering.
The Kennedy Girl provides readers with high fashion, spying (for whom?), light romance, and friendship. Readers will keep turning pages to discover what happens next and how Mia will keep herself safe.

˗ˋˏ ♡Thank you Julia Bryan Thomas and NetGalley♡ ˎˊ˗

I want to thank you for giving me this opportunity to be able to read this book, however as much as the description interested me, I don't believe that it was right for me. I don't think it is a bad book, just i believe i am not target audience for it. I would love to try again later and be able to appreciate this book for what it is worth.

Thank you to @bookmarked and NetGalley for my copy of The Kennedy Girl.

Espionage, politics, Cold War, Paris, fashion, loyalty, Jackie Kennedy….these are some of what you’ll find in this book. Sadly, it was a slow pace for at least 80% of the book. I would have enjoyed it much more if there wasn’t so much detail on garments?

I understand that it’s fashion in Paris and things must be explained. But it was a tad bit too much and too slow for me that I found myself skimming.

Mia’s character I felt was rushed through the book with very little backstory even with her family’s hidden secrets. Her roommates were nothing to be excited about.

My fav character was a Chantal. She had gumption! :)

Overall it was a fun read especially if spy novels are your type of read!

I would give this 3.5 stars rounded up. I am fascinated with the Kennedys, so I was disappointed that this novel really had not much of a connection to the Kennedys. But that aside, the biggest issue that that I had with the book was its unevenness. The first half of the book was focused on the fashion angle. The protagonist was a young woman from the United States that was offered a job as a model at a fashion house in Paris. This fashion house was a ruse for a spy operation that threatened democracy as we knew it, in the height of the Cold War. In the first half of the book, fashion was the main thing and my problem is that I am not terribly interested in fashion. On the other hand, I am interested in Paris and the thing that kept me going were the descriptions of fashion.
The second half of the novel brought out the spy/Cold War historical part of the novel. This is what interested me, even though there were a few things that were a bit far fetched. So, my rating for the first half was a 3 and the second half was a 4, averaging out to 3.5.
About the characters. The protagonist was all right but I did not feel drawn to her. The other characters could have been fleshed out more.
I read this in parts and listened to the audio. The narrator was good, with a pleasant voice.
Thanks to NetGalley, Tantor Audio and Sourcebooks Landmark for providing me with the advanced reading copy and audio in exchange for my honest opinion.

Fashion and politics collide in Paris

In 1961 Mia Walker lives in New York and works in a bakery as she mourns the death of her father, the last family member she had. She is approached out of the blue one day by Theo Gillette, a man who says he works for a major fashion house in Paris. He offers her a job working as a model for the House of Rousseau, and hands her a plane ticket to Paris that will leave in a week. Mia can either cash the ticket in and continue her life in New York or she can grasp what could be the opportunity of a lifetime. She has no reason to trust Theo, and no idea why he would think that someone as ordinary as she is would make a great model, but at the last minute decides to take a chance and go to France. Once there, she is inducted into her new life, living with two other models (Maeve and Elisabeth) while learning about the fashion business and the clothes she models. She is also asked to occasionally accompany gentlemen to nighttime parties wearing a Rousseau design; she finds this a bit odd and more than a little uncomfortable, especially when she is asked to give out a certain address to individuals who ask for it, but it seems to just be part of the job. Her misgivings turn out to be prescient; she finds herself in the middle of a Cold War mess, where US interests are competing with a group of adversaries to regain possession of nuclear information, and she has inadvertently been helping the wrong side. With no idea who can and cannot be trusted, but realizing that people with whom she works (including at least one of her roommates) are part of the group the US needs to defeat, Mia is involved in a high stakes game with a very bad hand. Designer dresses, glittering parties, a magnificent diamond necklace and a party at Versailles where Mia will be in the presence of none other than her idol Jackie Kennedy all form part of the backdrop for the deadliest sort of espionage.
A naive young woman is lured into a world where her life is considered expendable by those in control, and has to find the strength inside herself to survive in a situation for which she is completely unschooled and unprepared. In this engaging historical novel laced with espionage she is in many ways the perfect choice; she has led a sheltered life, and has no family or close friends who would miss her should she disappear. There is even a secret in her family's background that can be used against her should she rebel. The Kennedy connection alluded to in the title is a pretty thin one....she (like many women of that time) idolizes Jackie Kennedy, her poise, beauty and fashion sense, and even carries around clippings from magazines of the woman she admires. As she is schooled in the ways of a model, given a new haircut and taught to walk and look a certain way, she even has the basic coloring to be deemed enough of a lookalike to Jackie to be referred to as Rousseau's "Kennedy Girl". That plus a brief cameo by the President and Mrs Kennedy at a party also attended by Mia is the extent of the connection. I found Mia a likable enough character if incredibly gullible, and she and a few other characters (Mme Fournier, for example) have enough backstory to give them some depth. The story is slow to get really moving....more than the first half of the book is spent setting up the plot to begin....and while it is an enjoyable enough tale, with lots of detail about life in Paris and the world of fashion, the actually mystery doesn't break any new ground. A solid 3 stars out of five. Readers of author Julia Bryan Thomas' previous novels as well as fans of authors like Natasha Lester, Marie Benedict and Erika Robuck will find this book appealing. My thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for allowing me early access to this tale of fashion, glamour, and the Cold War in exchange for my honest review.

Espionage, secret societies, historical fiction? Sign me up! The concept of this book really drew me in and the beginning of the story had a good hook with a sense of mystery. I enjoyed Mia’s character and seeing how she handles herself as her life gets turned totally upside down when she accepts a once in a lifetime job opportunity. I felt as though the pacing was inconsistent throughout the book to keep me engaged. There were moments of suspense that kept me on the edge of my seat and then a lot of other moments where it just felt slow. However, this didn’t deter me from reading and I enjoyed seeing Mia’s growth over time. Some of the things I appreciated throughout this book were the historical accuracies related to the Cold War era and the 1960s fashion that made for an interesting read.

Glamour, danger, and secrets in 1960s Paris. ✨

The Kennedy Girl by Julia Bryan Thomas pulled me into 1960s Paris, where glamour and danger intertwine. Nineteen-year-old Mia, grappling with her father’s death and a lonely life in New York, jumps at the opportunity to become a model in Paris. What starts as a fresh start and a step toward financial security soon reveals a darker side, where trust is a luxury and secrets lurk behind the beauty of the fashion world.

Set against the Cold War, this is a character-rich story full of twists that kept me intrigued. I went into the book without even reading the synopsis, and that made discovering the plot even more fun. It takes a little time for the story to pick up, but once it does, it really flies. Paris comes alive through the pages, and if you love fashion and intrigue in the City of Light, this is one to check out.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark for the copy of this book!

The Kennedy Girl
by Julia Bryan Thomas
★★★★☆

It's the 1960s and Mia is offered a job by a stranger, requiring her to relocate her life to Paris. She arrives and is swept up in the world of high end fashion, working as a model for the House of Rousseau and living life in Paris during the Cold War. She makes friends, learns the city culture, and models gorgeous gowns. Until one night, when she's tasked with sharing a message that is deeper than fashion, and she realizes the fashion is just a cover and the House of Rousseau is using its models to sharing national secrets.

This book had a little fashion, a little espionage, and it was so fun! It was a slow burn- it took some time to build the setting and establish Mia in Paris - but the second half went much more quickly! The story had similar vibes to a Chanel Cleeton book - but I feel like she has some more romance in her books, and I did want some more of the romance that was hinted at between Mia and her crush. I loved Mia as a character- she was observant, smart, and unassuming. I really felt like this book was a love letter to Paris- and now I really want to visit!

The Kennedy Girl by is a captivating historical fiction novel that follows an American orphan's journey to Paris in the 1960s, where she becomes entangled in an espionage plot while navigating the glamorous world of fashion.

The intricate blend of historical context, the world of fashion, and the espionage is very compelling.

The author's vivid descriptions and detailed research bring the era to life, making the backdrop of the story incredibly engaging.

The Kennedy Girl would appeal to readers who enjoy:
1960's Paris setting with its rich historical context and detailed descriptions is perfect for history buffs.

Stories with intrigue, secrets, and espionage elements, this novel offers a captivating plot.

Glamorous world of fashion which is vividly portrayed, making it a great read for those interested in the fashion industry.

Character-driven narratives. The protagonist's journey from an American orphan to someone entangled in international espionage provides strong character development and emotional depth.

Positives:
A historical fiction involving the fashion culture of Paris and Jackie Kennedy while being set in the 1960s…say less! As a lover of all things fashion, Paris, Jackie Kennedy, and the 1960s, I was so excited to read The Kennedy Girl. After finishing this book and writing my review, I was hit with the revelation that parts of Mia’s life are very similar to Coco Chanel’s life. (Coco was a Nazi agent in the 1940s during World War II.) I loved the story altogether. Knowing about Coco Chanel serving as a Nazi agent and seeing a similar story playing out in Mia’s life made the plot more plausible to me; it made me enjoy the book even more. I also loved to see Mia’s growth as a character. We read about it directly in Philip’s POVs during their interactions, but you read about it indirectly in the way Mia handled herself in different situations and around different people.

Frustrations:
The Kennedy Girl is a slow burn historical fiction, and I found myself struggling with the first 33-40% of the story. The beginning contained a lot of background information about the situation, the setting, and the characters, which I did enjoy because it added to a more well-rounded story. It wasn’t a hard book to get into, but I found myself not wanting to pick it up as much as other historical fiction books I’ve read. However, once the story picked up, I didn’t want to put it down.

Rating and Why:
I rated The Kennedy Girl a 3.75 out of 5 stars (rounded to 4). I loved the fashion aspect of the story – historical fiction novels set around the world of fashion are my absolute favorite. I also loved how suspenseful the story was; it wasn’t something I was expecting, which is why I enjoyed it so much. I was on the edge of my seat especially reading the last 20% or so, just needing to read each page to see how the whole situation shakes out.

Do I Recommend?
If you love fashion, Jackie Kennedy, the 1960s, or suspenseful historical fiction, The Kennedy Girl is a great read. It offers a unique take on classic historical fiction that was entertaining and twisty while staying true to the 1960s Cold War era.

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for an advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.

Thanks to NetGalley, Sourcebooks Landmark, and Tantor Audio for the digital copy of this book and audiobook; I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The story follows a young American, Mia, who works in a bakery in New York. She’s recruited to be a model and get this, she gets to go to Paris to work in a fashion house. Sounds like a dream opportunity for a young lady who is obsessed with Jackie Kennedy’s style. She starts working with the House of Rousseau and is adjusting to life in Paris, when suddenly, things turn a bit more interesting, as if that wasn’t interesting enough!

Set in the backdrop of the Cold War of the late 1950s and early 1960s, I thought I’d enjoy this book more than I did. That’s not to say it was bad–far from it! However, the pacing was slow to start. There was a big build up before Mia even gets involved in espionage, and then the story picks up considerably.

You can tell from the writing that this book is well researched, yet sometimes I feel like that was a hinderance to making me love the book entirely. It seemed to get a little bogged down in the middle a bit, then picks up again towards the end. It’s a somewhat unique story, so I have to give the author some credit for the overall arc of the story. If it sounds like I didn’t like the book, that’s not true. It just wasn’t a five-star read for me. More like 3.5.

I thought the narrator, Ri Paige, did an admirable job of narrating the book. I would definitely seek out other titles with her as narrator.

If you like a good story set in France during the Cold War, you should definitely check out The Kennedy Girl.

I was hoping this book was going to be more about the Kennedy's. It was still a good story but not what I was expecting.

In the early 1960s, Nineteen-year-old Mia Walker is working in a bakery in NYC when a mysterious stranger comes in to the shop and offers her a modeling job in Paris with one of the most esteemed modeling houses in the world. Now having lost both her parents, Mia sees this as an opportunity for a fresh start, despite having no knowledge of the fashion industry. Just when she's getting acclimated, she realizes she has been pulled into a dangerous situation that she must figure out how to get out of safely, or pay with her life.

I enjoyed the beautiful backdrop of the Paris setting. Sadly I have never been, but one day I will go and be able to see the magical city. For now, I pictured Mia's apartment similar to one I stayed in Italy. Although I don't know exactly what the city looked like, I could imagine it and felt I was there with Mia, walking next to her.

I was hoping for more character depth and growth. We don't get much background on Mia, and having more details about her life would have helped me connect with her more. My favorite character was probably Chantal, as we learned the most about her.

This read super slowly for me, but it does pick up toward the end and I did want to know what happened. Some of the specific details could have been skipped with the same result. I can't say I was surprised by any of it, but I was satisfied with the ending. Also, the title is misleading, as The Kennedys are mentioned only a few times.

Read this if you like historical mystery, fashion, espionage, the Cold War era, and Paris!