When I was little, I was completely obsessed with Grace Kelly and viewed her almost as a legend. A fictional character, rather than a woman who once lived. The Girl in White Gloves, too, crafts a fictionalized account of the woman--but does so beautifully.

A life in snapshots…

Grace knows what people see. She’s the Cinderella story. An icon of glamor and elegance frozen in dazzling Technicolor. The picture of perfection. The girl in white gloves.

A woman in living color…

But behind the lens, beyond the panoramic views of glistening Mediterranean azure, she knows the truth. The sacrifices it takes for an unappreciated girl from Philadelphia to defy her family and become the reigning queen of the screen. The heartbreaking reasons she trades Hollywood for a crown. The loneliness of being a princess in a fairy tale kingdom that is all too real. 

Hardest of all for her adoring fans and loyal subjects to comprehend, is the harsh reality that to be the most envied woman in the world does not mean she is the happiest. Starved for affection and purpose, facing a labyrinth of romantic and social expectations with more twists and turns than Monaco’s infamous winding roads, Grace must find her own way to fulfillment. But what she risks--her art, her family, her marriage—she may never get back.

 
As always, a copy of this book was provided by the publisher in exchange for my participation in the blog tour/my honest review. This does not effect my opinion in any way. 

Like most girls, I grew up idolizing Grace Kelly to a specific degree. She, after-all, represented two very romanticized archetypes in life: the princess and the actress. Even now, I find myself drawn to details about her and my admiration seems to be never-ending. The Girl in White Gloves, although fictional, brings a new life into this now iconic historical figure.

Historical fiction can be tricky to navigate. Because it is rooted in reality, while steadfastly crafting itself into fiction, there's always a bit of hesitance in us all. A part of me always wonders how these people, who were once very real, would feel about their lives becoming even more of a story. Even when these stories tell us real truths, sometimes it feels weird.

When I picked up The Girl in White Gloves I had my usual reservations at the back of my mind for one reason or another. Readers will notice straight away that Kerri Maher does not deserve any form of skepticism. Not only does she breathe life into the origins of Grace Kelly, she focuses solely on the woman she was--she pours her heart and soul into creating a believable portrayal of the icon.

The Girl in White Gloves is the type of historical fiction I long to read by the pool, a glass of wine in hand. All the indulgence, all the intelligence, feels like the perfect balance. You get a little glitz and glamour of old Hollywood, of royalty, and the like. There's something heartfelt in the way that The Girl in White gloves is written.

This is Grace Kelly like you've never seen her before. 

Ultimately, I found this novel to be a delight from start to finish. It was the perfect, light read to take on the dreary month with, and coaxed many smiles from me. The Girl in White Gloves left me feeling emotional, satisfied, and completely engrossed.