Beautiful Little Fools audiobook

**Many thanks to NetGalley, Harper Perennial, and Jillian Cantor for an ARC of this book! Now available as of 2.1!** Who shot J.G.? No, Dallas fans, that isn't a typo...the victim here is none other than Jay Gatsby.Intrigue, gossip, sex, scandal, and heartbreak all simmer in this re-imagined murder mystery version of the Great Gatsby...can YOU figure out whodunnit?Those familiar with Gatsby might know some of the names...but how well do you know the women?Daisy Buchanan, the southern belle and unreachable object of Jay's attention after a rendezvous long ago, ends up marrying Tom Buchanan after family tragedy leaves her vulnerable... but BEFORE finding out her rich and handsome prince has a wandering eye that just can't stand still. Her best friend Jordan is a budding golf superstar with secrets of her own...just how far COULD she go to protect her own truth? Meanwhile, while pining for Daisy, Jay has become entangled with suffragette Catherine in New York City, and Catherine's sister is in an unfortunate romantic entanglement of her own. ALL of these women are strong, bold, and potentially motivated to rid the world of one Jay Gatsby. And when a mysterious diamond hairpin is found at the scene of the crime by detective Frank, this crime is no longer chalked up to a murder-suicide committed by George...but which one of these femmes is a true femme fatale?I haven't opened The Great Gatsby since high school, but that did not deter me whatsoever from picking this one up..and I am SO grateful for that! From page one, Cantor had me hook, line, and sinker, drawn back to the bustling (and roaring) 20s, effortlessly moving from POV to POV and learning all there was to learn about these incredible women. Of course, there is so much room here for development and creativity, because aside from Daisy, no other women from Gatsby stuck in my mind.This was a tale ripe for retelling, and I absolutely loved the angles Cantor explored. This novel has all the hallmarks of a classic whodunnit, the gasp-a-minute salaciousness of a gossip column, the heart-wrenching push and pull of a romance gone wrong, all wrapped neatly in a historical fiction package that kept me enthralled from beginning to end.Even a slight borrow from Dirty Dancing ("And I'm afraid of leaving this room and never feeling the way I feel right now, ever again in my whole entire life.") couldn't kill my buzz on this one (and let's face it, that probably endeared me more than anything else anyway!) I rarely dabble in historical fiction, but something about this eye-catching cover and clever premise caught my attention...and I'm so thrilled to say held it from beginning to end, old sport. 😉 So grab a Gin Rickey (or a G&T, if you so prefer) 🍸 and be ready to be fooled...in the best possible way!4 stars

Read this one for a cover quote, and enjoyed it hugely! Jillian Cantor beautifully re-crafts THE GREAT GATSBY here, placing the women center stage: more than merely beautiful, not so little as the men in their lives assume, and certainly far from foolish. Both fresh and familiar, this one's a page-turner. Daisy Buchanon was never my favorite, but I feel I understand her now--and Jordan Baker is every bit the delight that I always thought she'd be, even when Nick Carraway was giving her short shrift in the original!

All the men in this book are major assholes. The real question is why these women dealt with them. I was not disappointed with his death. He needed more bullets. I love the bonds of friendship and family these women had. The struggles of being a lesbian, Jordan went through, were sad. The shame and the hiding because in those times it was considered deviant behavior. A wonderful read.

“Beautiful Little Fools”, is a full package entertaining perfect historical fiction novel. >>> totally immersive and ‘believable’. It’s filled of a lot of hunger yearnings, bliss and heartache. It’s juicy fresh, mysterious, with atmospheric glitz & glamour. Daisy Buchanan, Jordan Baker, and Catherine McCoy each have enough motive to kill Jay Gatsby — and the way in which this book unfolds, intrigues ….and intrigues some more…..our experience of “The Great Gatsby”, is transposed…..in an ‘expanded’ exciting new way of exploration. At the start of this re-telling of “The Great Gatsby”….in 1917….Jay Gatsby is found dead in the swimming pool —-And….it didn’t take long to feel as if we are witnessing a new modern classic….a book that will be timeless and captivating a hundred years from now. Jill Cantor did a brilliant job - taking a risk - in re-telling F. Scott Fitzgerald’s favorite American novel….and she fully succeeded. Cantor’s character development transcends time and the geographic location….as it’s about the human conditions….from three different women’s perspectives. Unrequited love encompasses the lover who isn’t reciprocating—- (“Beautiful Little Fools”), with themes throughout of overwhelming desire—wanting the unattainable— This novel has everything….. from drama, to mystery, to murder, to romance…and it’s filled with emotional - vivid storytelling!IT MUST BE SAID…. Jill Cantor… did a MAGNIFICENT JOB!Modern day epic outstanding- pure entertaining.

When you look at the lives of three women from "The Great Gatsby," you realize that all that glitters is not gold. Daisy, Jordan, and Catherine (Myrtle's sister) tell the story of how meeting Jay Gatsby changes their lives forever. Not totally up to speed on the original? No worries! My last exposure to the classic was watching Leonardo DiCaprio and Tobey Maguire in the 2013 movie rendition. Jillian Cantor makes this such an engrossing tale that beautifully complements the original. Who really killed Jay Gatsby? Detective Frank Charles has fifteen thousand reasons not to give up on this case that has closed by the police. He was my favorite character and his devotion to his wife Dee was in stark contrast to the other men in the book like Jay Gatsby, George Wilson, and Tom Buchanan. Step back into the Gilded Age and reimagine an American classic.Thank you to Harper Perennial and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review

Beautiful Little Fools reimagines the literary classic The Great Gatsby giving voice to three women.1917, Kentucky. Daisy Fay, eighteen, on a hot summer day in Louisville meets a soldier named Jay Gatsby. That’s not a kind of man her father would approve off, but she finds a Louisville society man dreadfully boring.Jordan, sixteen, is best friends with Daisy, which her father, Judge Baker, doesn’t approve of. But Jordan is not worried as she is not looking for a man nor marriage. Her life is golf. It is her sanctuary and strength.1917, New York. Catherine follows her sister Myrtle from Illinois to New York. She doesn’t want to be anyone’s wife in a small town. She wants freedom in a big city. A place that offers excitement and opportunity. A place which now is buzzing with soldier, and she meets one of them named Jay Gatsby. 1922, New York. Detective Frank Charles questions all three women. He knows that all three women lied to him. He just can’t put his finger on how and why yet. There was a shooting, resulting in deaths, and some things are not adding up. Jay Gatsby was known for throwing all the lavish parties and now he is dead. The big question is who pulled the trigger. He also finds a diamond hairpin close to the murder scene and that puts all three women under suspicion. As the story develops, it brings in events from the three women’s lives and how those events shape their decisions. Those characters are interestingly explored; one chooses marriage to let her live comfortably, two pick freedom over marriage. But even with their strong convictions, they can’t predict all the curveballs that life throws at them. And there is one man who longs for only one particular woman, and will do whatever it takes to achieve that goal. The storylines are seamlessly woven, revealing intriguing layers. As the detective tries to figure out the case, once the first puzzle is laid out, it continuously builds the mystery of who did what. As it turns out, someone is exceedingly calculated, carefully orchestrating the scenario.This reinvented classic brings fascinating women tinged with flaws, and complex life’s events with one detective trying to put the puzzles together - not only to solve the case, but also to receive the monetary reward that goes with it and the money that he could use to treat his wife to something nice and well-deserved. But he is still not there to solve the case and his wife is failing in health. Time is of essence. Wonderfully reimagined and flawlessly written literally classic that brilliantly explores the women’s lives in 1920s; their choices, their decisions, the limitations, and the prejudice of the era. Source: ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.Review originally posted at mysteryandsuspense.com

I’ve long been a fan of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, but as a reader, I’ve always wanted to know more about the women in the novel, certain they had their own stories to tell, too. In The Great Gatsby, Daisy Buchanan says that the best thing a woman can be is a “beautiful little fool,” but I always felt sure that neither she, nor her friend, Jordan Baker, were fools. In my novel, Beautiful Little Fools, I set out to explore just that, as I reimagine the world F. Scott Fitzgerald first created, but this time, from the women’s points of view. My novel is narrated by Daisy Buchanan, Jordan Baker, and Myrtle Wilson’s sister, Catherine, as well as a detective hired to investigate Jay Gatsby’s death, who is certain one of these women were involved. Beautiful Little Fools unfolds as part mystery, part retelling, and part historical novel detailing the lives of women at the time. Though it could be read as a companion to The Great Gatsby, it can also be read alone, because ultimately, it’s an exploration of the interior lives of women, their struggles, their triumphs, and most of all, their secrets. I hope you will enjoy reading about the women of The Great Gatsby as much I enjoyed writing about them!

I love how Cantor took this classic about some of the richest and most powerful male characters we’ve ever met in literature, and then made the story that wasn’t about them at all. Beautiful Little Fools is completely about the women from the famous story. This didn’t go down at all the way I expected it to, but I enjoyed it quite a bit.If you want to see my much more in depth review, you can check it out on my book blog NovelOnMyMindA huge thank you to Harper Perennial and Edelweiss+ for providing me with an ARC of Beautiful Little Fools by Jillian Cantor in exchange for an honest review.

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I am lucky to have read an early draft of this novel, and it is truly terrific. It captures the world of Gatsby perfectly; it is atmospheric and engaging from page one. But the real treat is how Cantor gives voice to Fitzgerald's female characters. I promise, you will love this one. I have read all of Cantor's novels, and this is my favorite.

*www.onewomansbbr.wordpress.com*www.facebook.com/onewomansbbr**4.5 stars**Beautiful Little Fools by Jillian Cantor. (2022). On a sultry August day in 1922, Jay Gatsby is shot dead in his West Egg swimming pool. It seems to be a murder/suicide by George Wilson. Then a diamond hairpin is discovered near the pool and three women fall under suspicion. Daisy once thought she might marry Gatsby before a family tragedy resulted in her marriage to philandering Tom. Jordan, Daisy's best friend, guards a secret that derailed her promising golf career. Catherine, a suffragette, fights for women's freedom and independence and for her sister Myrtle Wilson who is in a terrible marriage. Each woman is pulled into Jay Gatsby's romantic obsession, with devastating consequences. As soon as I heard about this novel I was looking forward to it, especially because the author wrote one of my favourite books of 2021 ('Half Life'). This one did not disappoint at all. The premise of this novel is that it is a reimagining of the classic 'The Great Gatsby'; only it is told from the women's perspective and turns Gatsby's death into a murder mystery. Alternating between Daisy, Jordan and Catherine, we get several sides to the same story in the context of three intelligent and complex women who are living in a time period where men had dominant power and control over them. A fourth viewpoint is also featured: a detective looking into the case; he is basically the only likeable male character in this story as far as I'm concerned. I thought this was an intriguing novel and I enjoyed it from beginning to end. Overall: highly recommend this engrossing novel for anyone that enjoys historical fiction, retellings of stories, and/or mystery fiction.

I LOVED THIS BOOK! Highly impressive, one of the most highly anticipated historical fictional literary reimagining of 2022—the brilliantly crafted novel exceeded all expectations and more! Move over F. Scott Fitzgerald Nick CarrawayJay Gatsby Tom BuchananThe WOMEN of THE GREAT GATSBY return to tell the "real story." Jillian CantorDaisy BuchananJordan Baker Catherine McCoy"I hope she'll be a fool—that's the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool."—Daisy Buchanan in THE GREAT GATSBY.Jillian Cantor is at the "top of her game" as the ladies of Gatsby take center stage in this breathtaking retelling, BEAUTIFUL LITTLE FOOLS. A MODERN TWIST ON A LITERARY CLASSIC. I have been a big fan of The Great Gatsby for many years, reading all the books, editions, movies, etc., time and time again. I even purchased and re-read the new Collector's Edition special edition, which came out in 2021, and the audiobook narrated by Tanner Buchanan (Blackstone). However, once you read this sizzling tale by the talented Jillian Cantor, you will fall in love with the women of The Great Gatsby in a new light, and I found myself enjoying it more than the original. In the original story, told by Nick Carraway and his allure with the enigmatic Jay Gatsby, BEAUTIFUL LOOK FOOLS conveys a different story told from the women's POV. (Daisy, Jordan, and Catherine). We also have Detective Frank Charles, who adds another bit of mystery. A total package. I adored: the stunning front cover, the well-developed characters that came alive on the page, vivid settings, the lyrical prose, the passion, the meticulous research, the precise and attention to detail, and most of all, the fabulous "Essay by Jillian" included at the end of the novel! (I wish more authors would do so). I am all about behind-the-scenes and inspiration. MARVELOUS!Oh, and please do not let me forget a major highlight. The audiobook was award-winning with an all-star cast of some of my favorite performers: Cassandra Campbell, Julia Whelan, Brittany Pressley, Elizabeth Evans, and George Newburn by HarperAudio. Exceptional! Everyone loves the glitz and glamour and the recklessness of Daisy and Tom, Jay Gatsby, the mysterious Jordan (female golfer), Myrtle trapped in a loveless marriage with the abusive mechanic, and the tenacious Catherine pursuing her suffragette efforts but what IF? Behind all the drunken parties, infidelity, affairs, murder, darkness, lies, egos, deceit, secrets, love, loss, and glamour—we find friendship, loyalty, motherhood, sisterhood, survival, self-discovery, and the importance of home among these often misunderstood women. Jillian provides a voice—think they would be proud.An ideal choice for book clubs and further discussions (an extensive Reading Group Guide included). Beautifully rendered, I read this in one sitting and purchased the hardcover, e-book, and audio. A must-read for all home libraries! Well done! Thank you for writing this incredible masterpiece literary fans will cherish—a classic story from the perspective of the female characters that will linger long after the book ends. Blog Review Posted#JDCMustReadBooks | @JudithDCollins My Rating: 🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤5/of 5 Stars +++Top Books of 2022 Pub Date: 02/01/2022 Feb Must-Read Books