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"A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies," said Jojen. "The man who never reads lives only one." - George R.R. Martin, A Dance With Dragons

Monday, February 9, 2015

Audrey and Bill by Edward Epstein… A Review

Oh, how can you resist The Golden Age of Hollywood?! The elegance, the larger than life movie stars, the romance! I am a true romantic and I love old movies. I love movies like Casablanca, Mildred Pierce, and Gone with the Wind. It was during the 1950's, that stars like Audrey Hepburn and William Holden came into their own and captured the hearts of movie goers, and it was in the 1950's that Audrey and Bill captured the hearts of each other…

I was reading excerpts from this Springs new releases and came across this book about Audrey Hepburn and Bill Holden, Audrey and Bill by Edward Epstein. I started to read the few opening pages and couldn't stop. What a wonderful, but sad, real life love story that became a thread to link these two people together forever. I'm not a big fan of the tabloids or Hollywood gossip, but this book was written so differently. It really showed the people underneath the layer of the Hollywood lights that scrutinized them for much of their lives.

I had no idea that Audrey and Bill had a love affair, but during the filming of their first film together, and the film that would make Audrey Hepburn a star, Sabrina, they met and found in each other another person that they could open up to amid all the glitz and glamour neither one of them sought after. Audrey was young & naive and swept off her feet by the handsome, and married, leading man, who was no stranger to having affairs with his leading ladies. But this was different…

Audrey and Bill is not only about their love affair, but about their lives separate from each other. It's almost 3 biographies in one book- Audrey Hepburn, Bill Holden, and the behind the scenes look at Hollywood. The writing is seductive and so good. Their lives, their loves, their loses and ultimately how they both found contentment, albeit a little too late, is what you'll find in Audrey and Bill.

I don't want to spoil anything here, so let me just say, if you're a romantic and love old movies this book is for you! The writing is wonderful, the people come to life off the pages and you'll be transported to a time where prim and proper masked an underlying sensuality that was neatly dressed up.

Audrey and Bill: A Romantic Biography of Auddrey Hepburn and William Holden by Edward Epstein will be available from your local bookstore this April 14th! I want to thank Running Press for the eGalley I received to read for this review! I thoroughly enjoyed it!


5 comments:

Holly (2 Kids and Tired) said...

This sounds fantastic. I had no idea about their relationship either. Just added this to my reading list!

thecuecard said...

Audrey sure had a fascinating and yet sad (at the end) life. I read a biography of her last year by her son that's very worth reading "Audrey Hepburn, An Elegant Spirit" by Sean Hepburn Ferrer. I dont think it talks much about William Holden though. I wouldnt mind learning more about him! thanks for the heads up on this one

Suzanne Yester said...

Hi Holly!
Yes, this book was really good and much better than I would ever had expected. A similar book I read and also enjoyed was about Cary Grant and Dyan Canon, who I did not know had a romance, married and had a child together. Let me know what you think when you read it!

Suzanne Yester said...

Hi Susan!
After enjoying this book so much, I definitely am up for the book you recommend about Audrey herself. Thanks for sharing, I didn't know her son wrote one!

Jillian said...

Oh I love this! Audrey Hepburn is someone I admire so greatly, and I love learning more and more about her life. I might have to read this one. I love biographies!

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