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    The Kennedy Debutante: A Novel
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    The Kennedy Debutante: A Novel
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    The Kennedy Debutante: A Novel
    Audiobook12 hours

    The Kennedy Debutante: A Novel

    Written by Kerri Maher

    Narrated by Julia Whelan

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    A captivating novel following the exploits of Kathleen "Kick" Kennedy, the forgotten and rebellious daughter of one of America's greatest political dynasties.

    London, 1938. The effervescent "It girl" of London society since her father was named the ambassador, Kathleen "Kick" Kennedy moves in rarified circles, rubbing satin-covered elbows with some of the 20th century's most powerful figures. Eager to escape the watchful eye of her strict mother, Rose, the antics of her older brothers, Jack and Joe, and the erratic behavior of her sister Rosemary, Kick is ready to strike out on her own and is soon swept off her feet by Billy Hartington, the future Duke of Devonshire.

    But their love is forbidden, as Kick's devout Catholic family and Billy's staunchly Protestant one would never approve their match. When war breaks like a tidal wave across her world, Billy is ripped from her arms as the Kennedys are forced to return to the States. Kick gets work as a journalist and joins the Red Cross to get back to England, where she will have to decide where her true loyalties lie—with family or with love . . .

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio
    Release dateOct 2, 2018
    ISBN9781984827241
    Unavailable
    The Kennedy Debutante: A Novel

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    Reviews for The Kennedy Debutante

    4/5

    58 ratings16 reviews

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    • 3/5
      Historical novel based on the life of Kathleen Kennedy up to the time her husband, Billy Hartington, heir to the Duke of Devonshire. Not a bad effort for a debut novel, but not outstanding writing. Strictly for frivolous reading.
    • 4/5
      I have long had a secret crush on JFK, and his sister Kathleen, or Kick, is another favourite. From biographies, they seemed to have such a close and understanding relationship, teasing on the surface yet supportive when they needed each other, that I used to think that I was drawn to both Kennedy siblings for the same reasons. Kick, though, was far more sincere than her flippant brother, and her death at 28 was yet more wasted potential. I would love to have read her memoirs of life at Chatsworth, like Debo Mitford, who inherited Kick's future role.Back to the novel - overall, I enjoyed this fictionalisation of Kick's life, from her debut at court in 1938 to her two great losses in 1944. Well, most of her life - Kick herself died only four years later, which would seem like natural closure for any life story, but I can understand why Kerri Maher chose to stop when she did. Plus, another four years of Kick agonising about her romantic life might just have driven me mad. She was a bright, independent, joyous woman, and I know that Maher did her research, but this line from the book sums up nearly the whole story: 'And she did pray, earnestly, though it did little to relieve her sense of imbalance and apprehension about nearly everything swirling in her mind—Billy, John, her parents, Rosemary, the war, England, her friends nearby and far away, the newspaper. What is my role? What part should I play?' Yes, Kick tied herself in knots deciding whether to marry into the Protestant Cavendish family, but I felt like the religious debate took up far too many pages. The 'supporting cast' were also a bit lightweight, with only Joe Sr and Billy coming close to being fleshed out - Jack was a witty one-liner and a weird word game played with his sister, Rosemary's drastic operation felt tacked on, and Joe Jr was somehow the wounded party, 'living in Jack's shadow'? Come on! Joe was the golden boy, his father's favourite and pegged for great things, while sickly Jack lived in the shade cast by his outhouse-sized ego. I have no doubt that Joe Jr was a good guy, and he was the only family member to attend Kick's wedding, but the kindly revision of family roles puzzled me a bit.For those to whom Kick really is the forgotten Kennedy, this is a fair introduction to Jack's anglophile sister and the rest of the clan during WW2. 'I know what love can be, and I’m not going to settle,' Maher's Kick declares, and she was true to her word, despite her family's cruel treatment after she married Billy. Her romantic relationships were happy but tragically brief, as was her life, but Maher brings a sample of that spirit and strength to the page.
    • 5/5
      The Kennedy Debutante is the story of Kathleen “Kick” Kennedy who is the sister of John F. Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy. I am sad to say that I didn’t even realize that these two amazing men had a sister named Kathleen. Now that I am in the know, I realize that without her these two men may not have ended up as famous as they were, she is powerful, she is smart, and she pushed her brothers, supported her brothers, and love her brothers with her entire heart. Do not get confused, this is not a story of the Kennedy men. This is the story of Kick Kennedy and the way she shaped the world around her.I really wanted to Google Kathleen Kennedy, I needed to know more about her but I held out. I waited and read every word Kerri Maher wrote and learned so much not only about Kick but about the world she lived in, the war that affected her, and the family that she loved so much. I was amazed at how much she wanted to change the world. She wasn’t going to be happy to just be a woman in the world. She wanted to make it better, to be a force to be recognized and to blaze her own path. I loved how supportive her dad was. Joe Sr. never gave his entire permission, as that would have been going against her mother, but he encourages and even showed her the way to get what she wanted a few times. Rose, Kick’s mother, supported her but she wanted to keep her close and have her follow in her footsteps being a good Catholic, a good mother, and a good wife. The Kennedy Debutante is on my best historical fiction of 2018. I will recommend it over and over again.
    • 4/5
      While I knew the basics of Kathleen Kennedy's story, this novel really brings her unique tale to life. A daughter of the famous Kennedy family, Kick (Kathleen's nickname) came of age during her father's tenure as U.S. ambassador to Britain right before the start of WWII. In this environment, she met and fell in love with a young English nobleman and the two struggle to be together despite the differences in religion and nationality that divided their families. This made for fun reading, although I was saddened by how Kick's life turned out.
    • 4/5
      There have been many stories about the Kennedys so it seem fitting to expand the horizon to those lesser known. Maher takes two recent biographies of Kick and turns them into a wonderful day to day look at a remarkable young woman. Free review copy.
    • 3/5
      I liked this book. Instantly, I was transported back in time. Kick had a bit of a rebellious side to her. Billy had charm. Together they were good together. The way that this book is formatted into several different parts (Spring and Fall 1938, Summer 1941, Summer 1943, and Winter 1944) is nice. Reading this book, I could see the progression from the different seasons and times. While, the first couple of parts were nice; it was the later parts where the story really picked up. You could call it the "meat" of the story. By this time I had found my groove and built the connection with Kick and Billy. Yet, the other characters were fine. I could not connect as much with them. Kick's family are ones that I didn't like as much. Overall, this book is a nice time period read.
    • 1/5
      "London, 1938. The effervescent "It girl" of London society since her father was named the ambassador, Kathleen "Kick" Kennedy moves in rarified circles, rubbing satin-covered elbows with some of the 20th century's most powerful figures. Eager to escape the watchful eye of her strict mother, Rose, the antics of her older brothers, Jack and Joe, and the erratic behavior of her sister Rosemary, Kick is ready to strike out on her own and is soon swept off her feet by Billy Hartington, the future Duke of Devonshire. But their love is forbidden, as Kick's devout Catholic family and Billy's staunchly Protestant one would never approve their match. When war breaks like a tidal wave across her world, Billy is ripped from her arms as the Kennedys are forced to return to the States. Kick gets work as a journalist and joins the Red Cross to get back to England, where she will have to decide where her true loyalties lie--with family or with love . . ."Ugh this book just dragged on. It was way too long and it seems like the story would never end. Which is understandable given the subject of its content but I still feel that it would have been better if the story was a little more interesting. Maybe I just wasn't a book for me.
    • 4/5
      Lindas Book Obsession Review of "The Kennedy Debutante" by @Kerri Maher  Berkley Publishing Group October, 2018Kerri Maher, Author of "The Kennedy Debutante has vividly described the "Golden World" of the Kennedys in this enchanting, dramatic, romantic, endearing, captivating, intense and riveting novel. The Genres for this novel are Historical Fiction, Fiction, Women's Fiction, with a touch of Romance. The timeline for this novel starts in London in 1938, and is also in the United States, Spain and other European countries during the pre-war and war. The story goes to the past only when it pertains to the characters or events.Kerri Maher describes her colorful cast of characters as complicated and complex. Kathleen "KICK" Kennedy makes her debut in England the year that her father is the Ambassador to London. Kick is the absolute darling , extremely  sought after among the popular set. She also has the responsibilities of watching out for her older sister, Rosemary, who has some problems. Some of my favorite parts in this novel are the interaction among the Kennedy clan. It is fun watching the interaction with Joe and John, her brothers. Kick's mother is a stern and dominant force in her life.The Kennedys are Roman Catholic, and that causes conflict for Kick when she falls in love with  Billy Harrington, the future Duke of Devonshire, who comes from a Protestant family. Kick is regarded as the rebellious sister but she questions her loyalty to her family or the man she loves.I would highly recommend this entertaining and enjoyable Historical novel for those readers that enjoy reading about the Kennedys, and the start of World War Two. I received an ARC from NetGalley for my honest review.
    • 4/5
      We have all read about the males of the Kennedy family - Joe, Jack, Bobby and Teddy and many books have been written about them and their father. Very few books have been written about the females of the family and I knew very little about them. The Kennedy Debutante is about Kathleen Kennedy - nicknames Kick. She is the fourth child in the family, right after Joe, Jack and Rosemary. It's an in depth look at her life beginning in England when her father becomes the American ambassador. As the story begins, she is being presented into society at the beginning of her debutante season in 1938. As she becomes part of the social season in London, she makes friends with the elite young people in London and gets very close to Billy Hartington, the future Duke of Devonshire and a devout Protestant. Her strict Catholicism (as well as that of her devout mother, Rose) keeps them from taking their feelings to the next level. When WWII breaks out and the Kennedy family returns to the States, Kick has to make a decision over whether her love for Billy or the beliefs of her family are the most important to her future.This book was a wonderful look at an member of the Kennedy family that had not been written about much in the past. Along with Kick's story, there is a lot about the rest of the family, the way the parents doted on the boys and the dad included Joe and Jack in his decision making, the problems with Rosemary, plus a tidbits about all of the other kids in the family. For a family with so many words written about them over the years, this was a refreshing look at the family that was full of new information for most readers.I highly recommend this book and predict that it will be on of the popular MUST READS of the fall.Thanks to Book Browse for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.
    • 4/5
      I enjoyed this book from beginning to end!
      The book definitely kept my attention.
    • 5/5
      I enjoyed this story. I already knew the history of the Kennedy family, which has fascinated me for decades. This book helped me realize that the most fascinating part of the Kennedy's history involves the ones we rarely hear about.
    • 4/5
      The Kennedy Debutante is an excellent historical fiction book about Kathleen "Kick" Kennedy and her rebellious life. Kathleen Kennedy's debutante ball occurred as a presentation to the King and Queen of England. This is how the book begins. Her life was much of parties, friends and a desire to help others. There were terrible losses in her family. The book was well written and received four stars in this review.
    • 1/5
      "London, 1938. The effervescent "It girl" of London society since her father was named the ambassador, Kathleen "Kick" Kennedy moves in rarified circles, rubbing satin-covered elbows with some of the 20th century's most powerful figures. Eager to escape the watchful eye of her strict mother, Rose, the antics of her older brothers, Jack and Joe, and the erratic behavior of her sister Rosemary, Kick is ready to strike out on her own and is soon swept off her feet by Billy Hartington, the future Duke of Devonshire. But their love is forbidden, as Kick's devout Catholic family and Billy's staunchly Protestant one would never approve their match. When war breaks like a tidal wave across her world, Billy is ripped from her arms as the Kennedys are forced to return to the States. Kick gets work as a journalist and joins the Red Cross to get back to England, where she will have to decide where her true loyalties lie--with family or with love . . ."Ugh this book just dragged on. It was way too long and it seems like the story would never end. Which is understandable given the subject of its content but I still feel that it would have been better if the story was a little more interesting. Maybe I just wasn't a book for me.
    • 4/5
      I was so excited to get my hands on an advance copy of this because Kathleen Kennedy led an interesting life not just because she was the second oldest daughter of Joe Sr. and Rose, but because she had to make some tough decisions in life. So I'll admit my expectations were high because I thought the author would have a lot of material to work with when writing this historical fiction novel. While story got better towards the end, I really struggled for a big portion of the book.The Kennedy family has moved to London in the late 1930s because Joe Sr. has accepted the position of ambassador. Kathleen, aka Kick, and her older sister Rosemary are introduced to London society and soon Kick meets Billy Hartington who is in line to be the next Duke of Devonshire. While Kick and Billy fall in love they know their families will disapprove as the Kennedy family is Catholic and the Hartingtons are Protestant. Kick is sent back to the United States because of the war but Billy is never far from her mind. But will her family and religion get in the way of her happiness?I think the biggest problem I had with the book was for a very long time I just had this empty feeling while reading. Yes, the author did a good job with injecting historical facts into the story but it felt like it came at the expense of good storytelling. I just wish it hadn't taken so long before I felt an emotional connection to Kick. For me the real heart of the story is in the last 100 pages or so as it felt like the focus was more on what the characters were feeling rather than boring society stuff that was so present for most of the book. I would recommend this book if you have an interest in the Kennedy family but if you are just looking for any historical fiction read, I think there are more compelling ones out there.Thank you to First to Read for the opportunity to read an advance digital copy! I was under no obligation to post a review and all views expressed are my honest opinion.
    • 5/5
      4.5 Stars for this Beautifully written historical fiction about little know Kathleen ‘Kick’ Kennedy. I went into this book not knowing anything about Kick or the Kennedy’s time in London when Joe Sr was Ambassador. The hard part, at least for me, of reading historical fiction about a family so larger than life, is remembering it’s mainly fiction, and open to the author’s interpretation.

      As we all know, the Kennedy’s are devout Catholics. Kick has fallen in love with a devout Protestant, the future Duke of Devonshire Billy Hartington. This was a HUGE issue during this time and your heart will break for this couple. I loved the glimpse into London royalty and high society, the descriptions of London/America politics and WWII. I especially loved Kick’s relationship with her older sister, Rosemary, and her big brother, Joe. Maybe because they are also lesser known.

      Word of warning, do NOT google Kick Kennedy before you read this, as I did. Go into this book blind. I had to LOL on the ‘Author’s Note’cause I thought she must have been watching me.

      This book will have you cheering and crying for Kick and Billy, scratching your head over the Catholic/Protestant issue, give you an inside look into the Kennedy family and the London society, and the political climate of WWII. I also loved the secondary characters, especially Fr. O’Flaherty.

      This book was well researched! This book is one to get lost in!

      Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Publishing for this ARC. All opinions are my own.
    • 4/5
      This was an entertaining novelization of the life of JFK's beloved sister Kathleen. "Kick", as she was known within the family, was full of life and fire, and this book brings her to life. She navigates between her tumultuous teen years and the responsibilities of adulthood in the perilous world of WWII England. This story isn't complete without a forbidden love, and Kick has one of those too.Excellent summer reading.