Until reading this book, I'd never heard of Alice Marble or any of her story. I loved how the author took this real-life account of Alice Marble and turned it into fiction, which made the character more personable and her story all the more riveting experiencing each scene through the characer's perspective and getting a glimpse into her thoughts.

One drawback for me, personally, was that I expected Alice's role as a spy to play a more relevant and dominant role in the story; however, it wasn't really part of the plot until 3/4 of the way through the book, and the rest of the book focused on Alice's career as a tennis player. Don't get me wrong, her story was really interesting, but the blurb had me thinking her role as a spy would be more prevelant in the story, so it caught me a bit off guard when it wasn't.

I'm not a tennis person, but I found it really interesting learning more about what women's roles in sports looked like back in the 20th century, and what personal sacrifices it requires to rise to fame.

4/5 stars from me.

Content warnings: a few minor curse words; fade-to-black romance scenes (though they were a tad too descriptive for me personally).

Ace, Marvel, Spy hits the mark when it comes to intriguing and informative historical fiction.

Alice Marble is an inspiring female main character, and I frequently had to remind myself that this is based off of an actual individual. From humble beginnings and through numerous setbacks, this tennis star is a force to be reckoned with. Her trajectory to sporting fame is littered with ups and downs, which makes her that much more endearing, landing me firmly in the "Team Alice" camp. To step it up a notch, playing tennis is not her only skill, and the US government is putting this multi-talented female to good use. Grab a seat and watch this story volley between suspense, drama and romance which is sure to keep you entertained.

Thank you to HarperCollins Focus via NetGalley for this advance copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are entirely my own. It's an action-packed tale that will appeal to those who seek stories about love, sports and war.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the ARC of Ace, Marvel, Spy by Jenni L. Walsh. All opinions are my own.

This historical fiction novel follows the life of Alice Marble as she becomes a famous tennis player, goes through many hardships, and contributes to the war efforts during World War Two.

I found that this novel read a bit like a biography even though it’s historical fiction. It is based off a real person, but I liked how the author chose to tell Alice’s story.

If you enjoy tennis, I think you’ll really enjoy this book because there was quite a big focus on Alice’s career in tennis. She had some setbacks due to health and discrimination in the world of professional tennis, but she still had an amazing career.

I actually enjoyed the relationship aspects and her time as a spy the best in this story. I thought her time working for the government was very interesting and exciting compared to other parts of her life.

Alice went through a lot of hardships, and I really felt for her during every setback and loss. The relationship losses were the hardest part to read.

I enjoyed Alice as a character even if I thought she sometimes came across a bit conceited. My feelings towards her coach were mixed because she did a lot for Alice over the years, but she was also controlling and manipulative at times.

Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys tennis, historical fiction, or biographies.

Ace, Marvel, Spy by Jenni L. Walsh

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

Pub Date: January 14, 2025

Ace, Marvel, Spy follows the rise of little-known tennis star Alice Marble and her life during WWII. Alice overcomes many obstacles throughout her life in order to become number 1. This is the first novel I’ve read by Jenni L. Walsh, but I devoured it in a weekend.

Now, I don’t know much about tennis, but it was incredibly interesting to learn all of the different terms, rules, and strategies. I also enjoyed being inside of Alice’s mind during tournaments and practice. Her ability to predict her opponent’s moves reminded me of a chess match.

Her time as a spy during the war was also interesting because her conflicting emotions were relatable. Doing the right thing, but hurting the one you love is a hard choice. Watching her deal with that made me hurt for her, but also was something that I really respected.

I was not familiar with Alice Marble, but I can’t stop thinking about her now! I will admit that last night I went down the Wikipedia rabbit hole because I must know EVERYTHING about her.

This truly is a story about overcoming trials and reaching success when the odds are stacked against you. I recommend Ace, Marvel, Spy to anyone who is interested in historical fiction based on real Wonder Women.

To preorder, go to jennilwalsh.com/preorder.

Thank you to Jenni and @harpermusebooks for the chance to read Alice’s story!

#booksbooksbooks #booklover #JenniLWalsh #bookstagrammer #AceMarvelSpy #booklover #NetGalley #AliceMarble

4.5 stars

Tennis star, champion for her fellow women, and spy.

Based on the life of a real, incredible woman, Ace, Marvel, Spy follows Alice Marble's rise in the tennis world all the way to her time as a Spy in WW2. The book follows two timelines - Alice's rise as a tennis star and her life several years later during the war.

I love learning about little-known people in history. Alice is an amazing character. The fact that she was a real person makes her story that much more incredible. The young Alice overcomes so many obstacles- poverty, injury, sickness, and more - to become a world class tennis player. She sacrificed so much to get to the top.

When the world went back to war, Alice tried to join and do her part. Although it took years before she was able to do anything of significance, she used her skills as a tennis player to boost morale.

I was so invested in Alice's story. My heart ached for her so many times, and I cheered when she silenced her opponents and achieved greatness.

I don't claim to know much about tennis, but I thoroughly enjoyed all of the tennis descriptions and learning more about the sport.

I also loved the little articles and comics that were sprinkled throughout the story as well. They added a layer of depth to the story and shed light on other remarkable women as well.

Jenni Walsh has done a remarkable job of bringing Alice Marble to life in Ace, Marvel, Spy. It's a must-read for anyone who likes historical fiction about amazing women.

This is a historical fiction novel based on Alice Marble who came from humble beginnings to be the number one tennis player in the world. She also played a part in helping the US during WWII on a spy mission.

The book gives the reader Alice’s tennis rise in the 1930s as well as what brought her to complete a spy mission.

Alice was such an interesting character. She had a photographic memory, wore shorts in her matches, and created content for the comic Wonder Women in History.

It is a great read for all sports lovers and for those who enjoy strong women’s stories.

I didn't know who Alice Marble was, and will now happily found out more about her after reading this! I'm not a tennis fan, but was able to follow along the storylines and her exciting matches. This book told in dual timeline showcases Alice's tennis prowess and toward the end of the book we learn about her time in espionage. I would've loved more spy content. This book is a great addition to your historical fiction collection!

A truly engaging story that pulls you in from the beginning. I truly loved the characters and the writing style. I have never read anything by Jenni L. Walsh before, but after reading this one I would love to pick up another book by her. I'll admit that I am a sucker for a good historical fiction featuring a woman involved in an activity that we often only ever attribute to men. Ace, Marvel, Spy was a home run for me in that category!

Perfect for fans of Queen's Gambit and Carrie Soto is Back, this novel about a tennis star's struggle with her sport amidst the duties of war is an interesting and engaging piece of historical fiction. While mainly concentrated on tennis, it is easy to understand for those who know nothing about the sport, and watching our main character Alice change and grow as a character is immensely satisfying as a reader. This novel touches on some historical aspects but not in too much depth, and remains very much character-driven. I'd recommend this if you enjoy books about sportswomen and their complex relationships with their sports amidst the barriers they face to equal treatment and recognition.

As a long time player and fan of tennis, I recognized the name of Alice Marble, but I never realized the amazing life she experienced. The book focuses mostly on her tennis career and the physically disabling conditions and accidents she overcame with strength and determination. Alice's life long coach, Eleanor "Teach" Tennant, saw the champion in her in the early 1930s and devoted her life to making Alice a world #1 champion by 1939. (I think there could be a book just about Tennant!) Alice also was an assistant editor for the Wonder Woman comics in the mid-1940s crafting stories of woman such as Clara Barton and Florence Nightengale. There is a small part of her life where she worked with the intelligence community at the end of WW2 that was fascinating. She had to learn how to be a spy to try to avenge her husband's death at the hands of the Germans. Needless to say Alice was a formidable woman in whatever she chose to achieve.

I was astonished that Alice had at one point been told that she couldn't play tennis anymore due to her (mis)diagnosis of tuberculosis. She had to physically recover from several automobile accidents as well. With the medical knowledge at the time, her recoveries are even more unbelievable. "Teach" was an intriguing character in that she spent her life working with and helping Alice become the tennis player that she was. She also went above and beyond giving her experiences and connections with the necessary people. The author does explain that she used Alice's memoir for the bulk of the research and some points may, or may not, be true and reminds the reader that this is a novel after all.

If you enjoy stories about strong, less known women from history, I highly recommend this book!
#AceMarvelSpy #NetGalley #historicalfiction
Thank you Harper Muse and Net Galley. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Alice is an up and coming tennis star in the US in the 1930s. She has some health issues and works hard to improve back to her top rank. She meets a handsome man in the Army and they eventually marry. When her husband is killed in action, Alice is understandably heartbroken. The army reaches out with a special opportunity to help the US as a spy while at a Swiss tennis tournament. After what happened with her husband, Alice swears to avenge his death.

As a huge tennis fan, I absolutely loved this book. Especially the historical side of tennis, where women used to wear long skirts to play and even had “ladylike” skills. It’s so funny to think of a strong net volley game as manly! Alice was a true inspiration for overcoming injury and illness. I also loved her relationship to Teach, her coach. They had such a strong bond, but still butted heads like sisters.

Thank you @harpermusebooks and @jennilwalsh for my gifted ebook. This is definitely my favorite Jenni book yet.

This is a great biographical novel that introduces readers to the fascinating character or Alice Marble. The author has clearly done her research, and she has crafted a wonderful story to bring Alice to life. You don't need to have previous familiarity with Alice to be brought into this captivating novel. You do need to sort of pay attention to the dual timelines but it's not confusing at all. More of the focus is on tennis whereas some readers might expect more focus on espionage. I'm sure Walsh was trying to stick to the real history. Regardless, Alice was a very interesting and brave person, and Walsh gets the historical details right to immerse the reader in the time period. A thoroughly enjoyable read perfect for fans of historical fiction based on the lives of real people.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance e-galley; all opinions in my review are 100% my own.

I love a historical fiction WWII era story. This story was captivating and far exceeded my expectations. I loved reading about Alice Marble. She was an incredible woman and her story deserved to be told.I loved the weaving of fiction into a real story. I loved all the inclusion of the letters/telegrams etc that were included in and helped tell the story. Overall an amazing book and a nice change from the historical fiction I typically read.

A fantastical journey through the lens of unlikely Tennis star turned WWII spy, Alice Marble, Ace, Marvel, Spy brings the reader on the rollercoaster of success, failure, ups, downs, and heartbreak based on the real life memoir of the protagonist. From her relationship with her controlling but selfless tennis coach to her lovers and famous friends; on the tennis circuit traveling to military bases to lavish parties with the rich and famous; to supporting the war effort across the world - the reader is intimately immersed in this life. I always find historical fiction based on real world people fun!

The storyline is a bit scattered with the dual timelines interweaving for a single POV. The dialogue and prose is stiff at times, making it difficult to really connect with the characters, though I think this improves later in the book. About 75% of the book is about the ups and downs Alice encounters while playing tennis, and the brief stint of espionage begins around 80%. I do wish this part of the story was more of the overall focus!

Thank you to Jenni Walsh and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Alice Marble has always been a driven, determined woman. In tennis, she had to prove herself in ways wealthy girls never did. Injuries and health issues plague much of her career, along with personal losses and tragedies. But throughout all of the setbacks, Alice is a fighter, defying odds and clawing her way to the top of the tennis world.

Aside from her tennis success, Alice has an eidetic memory. With the world at war, Alice’s patriotism compels her to serve her country. But with her history of health issues, no armed forces will let her sign up. The CIA, however, sees the potential with Alice’s smarts and notoriety. When the worlds of espionage and personal life collide, will Alice choose heartache or heroism?

As a former college tennis player, I was immediately drawn to this book. The sections of the story detailing match play were well researched. The number of physical problems and personal pains Alice had to deal with seemed so overwhelming – the reader can’t help but cheer her on as she conquers one hurdle after another. I definitely recommend this book to anyone who’s into WWII historical fiction, tennis, and strong female protagonists.

Ironically, I started reading Ace, Marvel, Spy the weekend of the US Open Finals and I’m still in disbelief that without the work of Jenni L. Walsh, I may never have known the remarkable story of Alice Marble.

While I sometimes have a hard time appreciating historical fiction, this had me hooked from the first few pages and weaved some of my favorite interests (tennis, fashion, spy craft) so perfectly that it has earned this 5-star review. Game, Set, Match Jenni!

Thank you for the opportunity to read this advanced copy of Ace, Marvel, Spy.

Jenni Walsh just doesn't miss - she's unmatched at spinning the stories of great women that time has forgotten. Ace, Marvel, Spy features all of the hallmarks of Walsh's work; beautiful prose, a heroine unlike any other, and a story that keeps the pages turning. A joy to read!

This captivating story of Alice Marble, once the world's top female tennis player, is truly inspiring! I absolutely loved this book. Alice was a true heroine, showcasing incredible strength and determination that we can all admire. Jenni L. Walsh's writing shines in this beautifully crafted tale of Marble’s life. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical women's fiction!

Another winner by Jenni L. Walsh! This was a very intriguing story of a historical figure that I had never heard of before reading this book. The only thing I would change is that each portion of Alice's life be a little more in-depth. However I know there was so much to cover as she led such an interesting life! I really enjoyed following the development of Alice from a young hotshot to a woman with more to love than just tennis.

Before this book I didn’t know who Alice Marble was, I also didn’t know a single thing about tennis. For me it was like discovering a whole new world, something that as a reader I always find exciting. The way Jenni tells Alice’s story is beautiful, you can understand the pressure she went through, the guilt for always putting tennis first, the heartbreaks that this brought to her.

Alice’s spy career was definitely my favorite part of her story, alongside the column writing. During this time you can see Alice’s compromise to what she loves and what she believes in, always trying to be on the right side of things, even if it means breaking her heart and giving up her dreams in the process.


Even though it is an easy read, I found that at times the connection between chapters was lost, which put a damper in my reading experience.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.*