Strangers in the Night by Heather Webb (Bibliolifestyle Book Tour)

 

Thank you, Partner @bibliolifestyle @williammorrowbooks for the review copy of this book.

What is your favorite Frank Sinatra song or movie?  I have been on a Frank Sinatra kick the last couple of months listening to his songs.  I love so many of them and Strangers in the Night is one of my favorites.  My favorite movie starring Frank Sinatra is From Here to Eternity.  I’ve known Ava Gardner as a star, but I think the only movie I’ve seen of hers is Showboat.  I love old movies so I’m not sure how that has happened!

Strangers in the Night is a historical fiction novel detailing the tempestuous relationship between Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardner.  Frank was a married man with three children when he fell in love with Ava Gardner.  Ava had previously been married and divorced twice and was already a star.  Frank and Ava together brought out both the best and the worst in each other.   This novel is their love story through the decades.

I enjoyed that Strangers in the Night was told from the dual narratives of Ava Gardner and Frank Sinatra from when they first met through Ava Gardner’s death.  As a classic movie fan, I loved that the filming of my favorite movies that these actors were in was discussed.  It was fun as they interacted with various members of the golden age of Hollywood. 

Frank and Ava’s romance was very turbulent.  They were constantly cheating on each other, fighting, there were suicide attempts.  Frank was constantly with prostitutes and did not think that was cheating.  Through it all, they always felt that they were each other’s greatest love.  They ultimately found they couldn’t live together, but the love never stopped.  Frank had a quote, “ My girl liked to be courted, and I’d give it to her better than anyone else.  Courting was my specialty.”  I agree.  Frank was great at courting, but not so great at actually being a good long term partner.

I enjoyed the author’s note at the end, information about Ava Gardner and Frank Sinatra, as well as great questions for a book club.  This would be a fun book to read for a book club.  It has Classic Hollywood, historical fiction, romance, adventure, etc.  The short chapters with alternating viewpoints kept this book moving.