Tween Jessica "Jesse" Malloy is the only daughter of Hollywood publicist Gabriel Malloy. Gabriel is the man in charge of promoting a relatively unknown Swedish cinematic beauty named Ingrid Bergman. As a Hollywood daughter, Jesse carpools to school with the children of other celebrities, soon getting acquainted with the somewhat reclusive Ingrid Bergman. As years pass by and Bergman’s fame grows, Jesse comes to idolize her, but Bergman’s fall from grace with the American public in 1950—when she falls in love with Italian film director Roberto Rossellini—causes Jesse to question her hero, and the religious faith she has been brought in.

In A Touch of Stardust, Kate Alcott conjured movie magic, but reading The Hollywood Daughter feels like a chore. It is an uninspired family drama played out against the heady times of Hollywood in the 1940s and 1950s.

Rather than historical fiction, this is a coming of age story about a girl disappointed by the choices that Ingrid Bergman, her childhood hero, makes in real life. It is a pity that Kate Alcott squandered material that could have made for a juicy and entertaining novel a-la A Touch of Stardust. Instead, there is lots of name dropping and a story and characters that don't ring true.

DISCLAIMER: I received from the publisher a free e-galley of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

First Line: Dropped something.

Summary: Jesse is the daughter of a Hollywood publicist in the 1940s. She attends a prestigious school where she gets to see the biggest star of the time, Ingrid Bergman. As she watches the stunning young actress in real life and on screen she comes to idolize her. After her mother believes that Jesse is becoming too involved with the Hollywood lifestyle her parents decide to send her to a Catholic school. She believes that her life has come to an end but it really is only the beginning. She learns more about herself and the world around her.

Highlights: Ingrid! The description of her is beautiful. I immediately had to place her movies on hold to see more of her work. The author does a wonderful job of making you feel the injustice that was thrown at Ingrid after her scandalous affair that ostracized her from her American fans. I was so mad at the public, the media and the Catholic Church but at the time it was normal.

Lowlights: There were little pieces in the story that seemed to be thrown in as fillers but didn't seem to have much relevance to the overall story. Her friend seemed like a side story. She seemed like she should be more important but it was more in the background.

FYI: Place The Bells of St. Mary's on hold! Bing Crosby and Ingrid Bergman are stunning.

A beautifully written story combining a coming of age novel and the great love affair between Ingrid Bergman and Roberto Rosellini. Interlaced with re-examining previous hidden family truths and facing the real world, this book is also a love story of self discovery. Thank you for the opportunity to have read this book...it is must read!

This book was just ok to me. The story is certainly interesting a coming of age story of a young girl obsessed with Ingrid Bergman growing up in Hollywood . Her father a Publicist for Ingrid deals with the scandal when married Ingrid falls for her director. The action of HUAC certainly resonates with the times we are in . for some reason I just did not connect to the characters as much as I would have liked

I'm not sure what I was expected from The Hollywood Daughter by Kate Alcott, but while well written, it lacked a spark. The story follows Jessica Malloy and her obsession with Ingrid Bergman. We see how Jessica's family falls apart as well as Ingrid's own personal life. The story dragged and was kind of dull. Personally, I loved Ingrid Bergman, but the story was drawn out and was slow moving. I think Jessica could have been more than she was, and the end left me scratching my head about the whole book.

A very engaging coming of age story that explores many deeply dividing political, social, and religious events in Hollywood in the 1940's and 50's. Jessica is growing up in the golden era of Hollywood with her father works with Ingrid Bergman as her PR rep. I enjoyed seeing how Jessica navigates the tension between her very Catholic mom, her Catholic school and beliefs and following her own beliefs and convictions. It was so interesting learning about all the political and socially conservative movements that were very prevalent in Hollywood at that time; I always love learning something when reading. Definitely recommended it to friends.

An enjoyable but slow paced book. A very fun look at how old Hollywood worked!

I enjoy stories about Old Hollywood and this book will be added to my list of favorites. A mix of unique characters and an interesting story set among the background of 1940’s Hollywood made this book a quick read.

I liked how the author combined fact and fiction in this book. She took the events of Ingrid Bergman’s life and created a story around it that tells about a young girl’s journey from childhood to young adulthood. I found it fascinating to read about the way that Ingrid was idolized and then torn down by the very fans who thought she was perfect. It was a unique look into the world of Hollywood and the way stars were treated in this time period.

There is a family dynamic to this story that I found interesting. I enjoyed reading how Jessica interacted with both of her parents. Her mother seemed to be a devout Catholic while her father could be described as a casual Catholic. The way the parents treated Jessica was different, too. Her mother seemed to be more strict and wanted Jessica to remain a child longer while the father wanted to treat her as more of a grownup.

The story has a good pace to it and was easy to get interested in and stay involved in from beginning to end. I loved all of the descriptions of the settings and the time period. It really added to the story and made me feel a part of it all.

Movie fans or fans of old Hollywood are sure to enjoy this story. It is easy to read and even more easy to enjoy. Definitely a book for the keeper shelf.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions are mine.

The Hollywood Daughter describes the life of a girl with a peripheral tie to Hollywood and her idol Ingrid Bergman. It is at times magical and perfectly describes the glitz and craziness of Hollywood, it at times is very religious with the central theme of Catholicism and the church, and at times, a bit disjointed.

I cared enough about the main character to want to know how her story turned out, and to want her to find happiness; although her actions at times were very frustrating.

I think this is a quick and enjoyable read.

The Hollywood Daughter is more of an educational or straight women's fiction read in my opinion. It was full of facts I found myself wanting to study and search to attempt to determine fact versus fiction. The writing was top notch and the book was well edited.

As a lover of Hollywood and the actresses of the 40s and 50s I just knew I'd love this book. It wasn't that I didn't love it but I didn't feel the connection to it that I wanted or needed. Books come to us at a time when we need them most and this want the time for me. However I know I'll be reading parts of it again to further explore

Jessica Malloy idolized Ingrid Bergman. Because her Dad is Ingrid’s PR rep, Jesse occassionally gets to spend a few moments with her idol. Her Dad even arranged for some scenes from Bergman’s The Bells of St. Mary to be filmed at Jesse’s catholic school. Not long after, Bergman’s star is tarnished when she has a baby out of wedlock with Roberto Rosellini. Jessica must come to grips with the image she has of Ingrid and the reality of the harsh, cruel times they are living in.

I was not born when the Bergman scandal occurred, so I knew nothing about the details. It was interesting to not only read about this, but also about how McCarthyism and the power of the Catholic church played a role in Bergman’s being censored. This is what I love about historical fiction - learning about history that was before my time. The author did a great job of showing us Jesse’s struggle between the values she was raised with and the realities of life. Ms. Alcott always gives us likeable characters and I find her writing to be magical.

ARC from Doubleday, via Netgalley.

Torn about my opinion of this book. I liked the character, and I liked the writing. BUT. I found it difficult to care about any of it. I loved the Dressmaker so I think I hadn't high expectations for this book as well. I think it may have been the subject matter. I am very interested in the Titanic. Ingrid Bergman not so much. I started the book thinking I was going to like it, but nothing about her childhood felt interesting to me at all. This child was not a narrator I cared to hear from. In turn, I didn't care much about what happened when she was an adult. I think 2.5 stars is what I would rate the book.. I did NOT dislike it. I just wish I was more interested in it. I did finish it and enjoyed the ending.

I really enjoyed this book. On the surface, it may seem to be a book about a young girl's hero worship of a Hollywood legend, but this book is much more. Having attended a Catholic all-girls high school, I really related to the main character and the moral questions she faces. The book also made me think about the role of religion in our lives and how it shapes us as children through adulthood. But it is also a story of family, of love, loss and regrets, as well as public vs. private opinions and self-viewpoints. For a relatively short book, it packs a punch.

A coming of age story of a girl living on the edges of the glamour, glitz and destructiveness of Hollywood in the 1940s and 1950s. As Jesse grows up we see her life unfold to the backdrop of Ingrid Bergman's career. Jesse idolizes the star, and like most of America thinks she can do no wrong, confusing the woman with the parts she plays in Hollywood. When Ingrid's life takes a wrong turn and scandal threatens to destroy her career and personal life, Jesse's life too takes an unexpected turn in McCarthy era Hollywood. Questions of faith, the role of the Catholic church in Hollywood, and the Communist scare set amid complex family dynamics make this a deeper read than one would expect from a Hollywood story. You can't help but love naive Jesse for her heart and eventually her strength.

I especially enjoyed this novel, because I remember the Legion of Decency and the Ingrid Bergman affair and the stir it caused .The author did a fine job in making this a coming of age story with the back story of Hollywood long ago. Hard to believe in this day and age, but it was very real at the time.

Kate Alcott takes us back in time to the 1940's & 1950's in the heart of McCarthyism in America showing us the effects of that movement through the eyes of a young girl with a devout Catholic mother and a father who's a Hollywood PR agent to Ingrid Bergman. Family secrets and illusions converging as a result what's happening in Hollywood with the illustrious and notorious Bergman shape the young girls beliefs through her formative years. This is a historical coming of age type story set against the alluring backdrop of Hollywood woven generously with Catholic themes and understanding.

Throughout the story I found myself enamored with the glamour of it all. The way this author chose to tell a story based on these historical events through the eyes of a daughter trying to mature responsibly was fascinating. Picking up little tidbits of fact in Alcott's words led me to some interesting google searches and learning. Her way of showcasing irony made the story relevant to happenings in our current lives. Her promotion of free thinking and holding yourself high in your opinions was refreshing. Alcott was magnanimous with her thoughts and presenting both sides of the coin as this story unfolded. However a downside to this was that I never felt wholly connected to the story as it became a bit tedious through the middle. The author told me so much but never really showed me beyond the telling. A lacking tether to the main character was a result. I sympathize with Jessica Malloy as I think I'm intended to but I wanted to feel connected to her. The other characters proved to have the same result. While I found them interesting it was in a detached sort of way. They all lent importance and substance to the story though.

The writing of Kate Alcott in the The Hollywood Daughter impressed. Her structuring of sentences and dialogue and her use of carefully chose words to make understand more was thoughtful and intelligent. I enjoyed what I learned from this book and found it interesting on a educational level rather than an emotional one. This story is more for readers of Women's, Historical, or General Fiction.

I was provided a copy of this novel by NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review of the book.

In this well written historical fiction novel that takes place in 1950 as well as some years later, we get to imagine what life would be like growing up as the daughter of a famous PR executive in Hollywood. In this particular case, fiction meets historical fact in that the author has imagined the relationship and conversations among the main character, Jessica Malloy, her father and his most famous client, Ingrid Bergman.

Young Jessica is smitten with Bergman. In her eyes, she is the ideal woman, mother, actress and can do no wrong. She sees her in stark contrast to her own mother, with whom she has a difficult and frustrating relationship. As with all those we idolize, Jessica does see Berman simply as a woman first – with a real life of normal issues such as a difficult marriage and fidelity.

As Jessica ascends into her mid-teens, a turbulent time for her in and of itself, the novel combines the intense and devastating period of McCarthyism and its impact on the Hollywood community. This includes, as a result of her relationship with Roberto Rossellini, Ingrid Berman who has been painted in a very negative light, having a child out of wedlock. A turbulent time, Jessica is thrust into this scenario when she accompanies her Studio PR Executive father on a fateful trip to Italy to confront the star and to try to save his relationship with his client.

What I liked about this book: Loved the historical fiction aspect and the way the author seamlessly combined with the actual events of the past with her imagined characters and her family. It makes for a very powerful storyline and believable scenario. Well written, imaginative, and engaging, the narrative very entertaining. It also shines a light on a difficult period with grace, including the secrets later revealed. I liked the surprises.

What I didn’t like about the book: Nothing to comment on here. I enjoyed very much

If you enjoy old Hollywood, especially Ingrid Bergman, and/or are intrigued by the Communist investigations at the time - you should definitely read this book. Even if you aren't, it's a great read that captures the history of America.

The Hollywood Daughter is set in 40s/50s Hollywood, following a young girl whose dad works in the business. She grows up in Catholic School, moves to Beverly Hills, and idolizes Ingrid Bergman. You get to grow up with her (Jesse), and learn how maturing changes one's worldly opinions. Jesse is a forward-thinker and is constantly juggling how she actually feels in comparison to what's happening in the world around her and in the Catholic Church.

The book was a little slow at times and it felt repetitious at times, but it was still an interesting coming of age story, with a little bit of Hollywood history tied in. I really appreciated how some of the events that were covered in the books actually happened in real life. It was very true to the history of the time, especially covering Ingrid Bergman's career.

*Thank you to Netgalley and DoubleDay Books for the ARC, for which I have given an honest and unbiased review*

Oh this was fun, and plays with the golden ages of Hollywood, the 1940’s and 1950’s where the freedoms for stars were usually hidden from the public eye, and the Catholic Church and the influence of the Red Scare and the despotic actions of Joe McCarthy were headline news. Alcott uses the then shocking affair of Ingrid Bergman and Roberto Rosselini to bring the story to light.

Jessica Malloy was a child, daughter of a Hollywood PR man, and Bergman’s agent. Add to that, her family is devoutly Catholic, and the choices made by the actors her father represented were often problematic in a moral sense But, Alcott takes us deeper, as we see Jessica’s understanding of the situation as a child: the uptick in the Red Scare and blacklisting, and her own concerns with her father’s involvement, or lack thereof as their fortunes and futures are inexorably tied to the industry and the questions.

While Bergman caused quite a stir, and her affair and subsequent pregnancy become a liability to Hollywood studios, she is banished, and Jessica’s father, as her agent, loses a formerly powerful star, but one who had a great impact on the young Jessica, encouraging her natural curiosity and standing for choices. Alcott uses these lessons, couched in stories from film sets, tales of wrongly accused and berated individuals, and the rampant McCarthyism that placed fear above fact and thought to tell the story, and cleverly parallels Jessica’s own learning curve with the story and her own family’s secrets, adding depth and perspective to Jessica’s story, giving her plenty to fight for or against. Frustrated and disillusioned, she leaves the West Coast heading for New York, and is divorced from the whole scene until an anonymous invitation to the Oscars gives her the opportunity to dig deeper and come to terms with the questions stil lurking.

While I enjoyed this story, and the details and information were clearly presented, there was a naiveté to Jessica that made her much younger (even for her age) than I expected, even for the time. There was also an importance added to the facts and descriptions that left the emotional components less present, and while I enjoyed Jessica, and could understand her confusion and questions, I never really had that emotional connection to her. What did come forward were multiple lessons about crowd mentality, the power of fear as a tool to control, and the dangers of one man, unchecked, given the ability to redesign the world to his own standards: without actually deigning to answer to, be questioned by, or throttled in any way. A curious connection to present day, presented without actually attempting to approach the current state of affairs, and all the more powerful for it.

I received an eArc copy of the title for the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

While I love the time period and fairly seamless integration of fictional characters with true Hollywood legends, I simply couldn't connect with the protagonist. She wasn't particularly dynamic, nor was her relationship to 'Hollywood' all that interesting. I would've rather read a book focused on an adult character. I lost interest early within the novel and DNF. Based on this book, I don't think I would chose another title by this author.