Only the Beautiful

4.5 - Beautifully written and spectacularly researched, Only the Beautiful is everything the summary promises and more.

Mainly following the timelines of 1938 America and 1947 Austria, the book follows Rosie and Helen and their interwoven stories. In 1938, Rosie is sent away because of her misunderstood condition and a surprise pregnancy to what she assumes to be a home for unwed mothers. Years later, Helen comes to learn the truth of what happened to Rosie and the baby.

There are a lot of heavy and perhaps controversial topics in this book which I won't mention due to spoilers. However, I urge people to look into them if they feel it's necessary. I enjoyed reading about these dark times in history despite how difficult it could be at parts. There was a lot of build up in the beginning and because of this I felt more attached to Rosie's timeline. The second half picks up considerably, but overall, there's not a dull moment. Despite the dark themes, the book carries a hopeful message.

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for providing me with a free digital ARC of the book to read and review!

My full review is published here: https://literaryquicksand.com/2023/01/review-only-the-beautiful-by-susan-meissner/

Do you have any authors who've been on your to-read list for YEARS? You know their books are a great fit for you, but somehow you've just never gotten to them? One of those authors for me is Susan Meissner. I've even owned one of her books about since it came out FIVE YEARS ago. The life of a book blogger/busy mom/owner of too many books, I guess