The Kennedy Girl

It’s a rainy day in Dallas, and what better time for a good book and to meet another of our Girls of Summer. Mia Walker is about to experience every young woman’s dream and every American’s nightmare. It’s the early 1960s, and the twenty-year-old is an average young American woman, poring over fashion magazines full of exciting designs from Paris and Milan, and dreaming she had the beautiful suit recently worn by her style idol, Jackie Kennedy.

But those dreams have no chance of coming true. Mia, still mourning the loss of her father, spends her days working at a busy New York bakery, leaving her with neither the money nor the time to improve her basic wardrobe. As an orphan with almost nothing, instead of chasing fashion fantasies, Mia must face the reality of finding a cheaper place to live than her already small apartment.

She’s shocked when a mysterious stranger approaches her with an unbelievable offer that could change her life: a Paris modeling job at the esteemed House of Rousseau, complete with an airline ticket and an apartment. With no fashion experience, much less family or friends to talk her out of the crazy idea of accepting the offer from someone she knows nothing about, Mia grabs the chance at a more interesting future.

From the moment she arrives in Paris and meets her two new roommates, fellow Rousseau models, Mia’s life becomes a whirlwind of activity: adjusting to the new city, attending intense language and deportment classes with the elegant Madame Vivienne Laurent, tours the fashion house’s facilities, fittings, photo shoots, learning to walk the runway, and attending seemingly endless parties.

However, amid all the activity and her growing success as a rising star on the Paris fashion scene, Mia becomes increasingly isolated. Friendships back home have fallen by the wayside while she cared for her father. The friendship she formed after arriving in Paris with their Rousseau chauffeur seems to have soured for reasons she doesn’t understand. And she grows increasingly uncomfortable with having to pass confidential messages to private clients. Mia notices personal items from her bedroom have been moved around, and she becomes distrustful of her roommates.

Before she realizes what’s happening, Mia must choose a side:

traitor or spy, in a perilous, high-stakes production of espionage

and intrigue swathed in stunning couture

and the most expensive diamond necklace in the world.

Her life dramatically changes once again when she meets a handsome American businessman by chance in a jazz club. Or was it mere chance? Soon she discovers that the secret messages she’s been delivering for her bosses at the House of Rousseau had nothing to do with haute fashion, and everything to do with the Cold War.

Before she realizes what’s happening, Mia must choose a side: traitor or spy, in a perilous high-stakes production of espionage and intrigue swathed in stunning couture and the most expensive diamond necklace in the world.

Mia’s journey is a beautifully written story of self-reliance and ingenuity, skillfully woven into one of history’s most fashionable events. She is a brave character willing to take bold steps at every thrilling turn to do what’s right, even if it comes at an unimaginable cost.

With The Kennedy Girl, author Julia Bryan Thomas has created a wonderful character in Mia Walker. Fans of historical fiction—and fashion—will be delighted. I didn’t think Thomas could write anything better after her debut novel, For Those Who Are Lost, but, boy, I’m thrilled I was wrong! With each book, she just keeps getting better.

After reading The Kennedy Girl, I highly recommend picking up The Radcliffe Ladies’ Reading Club and For Those Who Are Lost.

Julia Bryan Thomas is a graduate of Northeastern State University and the Yale Writers’ Workshop. She is married to mystery novelist Will Thomas. Find out more about her on Facebook and at www.Sourcebooks.com