The bestselling author of The Jane Austen Society and Bloomsbury Girls returns with a brilliant novel of love and art, of grief and memory, of confronting the past and facing the future.
In 1955, Vivien Lowry is facing the greatest challenge of her life. Her latest play, the only female-authored play on the London stage that season, has opened in the West End to rapturous applause from the audience. The reviewers, however, are not as impressed as the playgoers and their savage notices not only shut down the play but ruin Lowry's last chance for a dramatic career. With her future in London not looking bright, at the suggestion of her friend, Peggy Guggenheim, Vivien takes a job in as a script doctor on a major film shooting in Rome’s Cinecitta Studios. There she finds a vibrant movie making scene filled with rising stars, acclaimed directors, and famous actors in a country that is torn between its past and its potentially bright future, between the liberation of the post-war cinema and the restrictions of the Catholic Church that permeates the very soul of Italy.
As Vivien tries to forge a new future for herself, she also must face the long-buried truth of the recent World War and the mystery of what really happened to her deceased fiancé. Every Time We Say Goodbye is a brilliant exploration of trauma and tragedy, hope and renewal, filled with dazzling characters both real and imaginary, from the incomparable author who charmed the world with her novels The Jane Austen Society and Bloomsbury Girls.
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"Vivien was my favourite character in Bloomsbury Girls, and I was excited to continue following this ambitious, intriguing woman's story in another historic and immersive setting. In Every Time We Say Goodbye, Jenner captures the dazzling geography, ambiance and complex post-war culture of 1950s Italy so thoroughly, you'll be packing your bags for Rome before the end of the third chapter. A delight!"
— Heather Marshall, #1 bestselling author of Looking for Jane
"The past echoes forward from a female assassin in WWII to the Italian cinema of the 1950s in this stunning novel about the impossible choices we make. Wise and wonderful, this is Jenner’s best!
— Meg Waite Clayton, New York Times bestselling author of The Postmistress of ParisA wonderful novel full of charm, wit, and style.
— Dominic Smith, author of The Last Painting of Sara De VosEvery once in a while, a story comes along that really grips you and inspires you to contemplate the choices we’re all given... An absolute page-turner.
— Eliza Knight, author of The Mayfair BookshopCompelling and fascinating! Every Time We Say Goodbye has the magic of a time traveler that enables the reader to live the very rich and complex lives of its characters.
— Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai, author of The Mountains SingEvery Time We Say Goodbye welcomes back beloved characters from Jenner’s previous novels along with a new fascinating cast in Italy for the production of post-war films. Well-researched and written in a perfect blend of harrowing and heartwarming, this is another fabulous Natalie Jenner novel that historical fiction fans will adore!
— Madeline Martin, NYT bestselling author of The Librarian SpyA heartbreaking, engrossing, and thoroughly dazzling work of art.
— Nina de Gramont, New York Times and #1 Sunday Times bestselling author of The Christie AffairNatalie Jenner is at her historical fiction best with Every Time We Say Goodbye. Brava!
— Lisa Barr, New York Times bestselling author of Woman on FireQuite simply Jenner's best.
— Janet Skeslien Charles, New York Times bestselling author of The Library Card and The Paris LibraryJenner triumphs once again.
— Lynda Cohen Loigman, bestselling author of Two-Family House, The Wartime Sisters and The Matchmaker’s GiftThis intricately textured novel showcases Jenner’s exceptional talent. Every Time We Say Goodbye is the kind of historical fiction that transports readers into the past while being remarkably relevant to the world we live in today.
— Kim Fay, author of the National Bestselling Love & SaffronA marvel, a tale rooted in history yet filled with the twists and turns of a thriller. Destined to join the canon of evocative WWII fiction, this novel is not to be missed.
— Stephanie Wrobel, internationally bestselling author of Darling Rose Gold and This Might HurtBrave and searing, with characters that stay with you long after the final page, Every Time We Say Goodbye is Natalie Jenner at her brilliant best.
— Jennifer Rosner, award-winning author of The Yellow Bird Sings and Once We Were HomeTruly divine.
— Rachel Beanland, author of Florence Adler Swims Forever and The House is on FireJenner’s latest novel cements her status as a master storyteller, her complex characters and meticulous research bringing to life a story of redemption, love, and living up to the choices we make.
— Bryn Turnbull, internationally bestselling author of The Woman Before Wallis and The Last Grand DuchessWhat a glorious, sweeping novel—an amazing accomplishment. Cinematic in scope, Every Time We Say Goodbye is a bittersweet reminder of the reverberations of war, as well as an ode to cinema as an art form that preserves history, reflects the best and worst of humanity, and helps us heal.
— Julie Gerstenblatt, author of Daughters of NantucketBe the first to write a review about this audiobook!
Natalie Jenner was born in England and emigrated to Canada as a young child. She graduated from the University of Toronto with consecutive degrees in English Literature and Law. Following a brief career as a corporate lawyer, Natalie worked as a recruiter, career coach, and consultant to leading law firms in Canada for over twenty years. She founded the independent bookstore Archetype Books in Oakville, Ontario, where she lives with her family and two rescue dogs.