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Content snapshot
Flag an inaccuracy →What's in this book, at a glance — five things readers want to know before they start.
Violence
Barely any
Minimal; brief historical wartime context
Language
Barely any
Mild profanity; some Hollywood coarseness
Sexual Content
Some
Romantic relationships and sexual content depicted; not explicit but present
Substance Use
Some
Hollywood drinking culture; 1960s excess
Emotional Intensity
Some
Regret, lost dreams, and the weight of choices not made; emotionally resonant
What this book is about
A young Italian hotelier falls for an American actress seemingly discarded by her studio. Decades later, a Hollywood producer's assistant uncovers the threads connecting their brief encounter to the present. Jess Walter's novel moves across time and continents with wit, melancholy, and genuine love for the art of storytelling.
Notes for sensitive readers
Reader-flagged moments and themes that may affect your experience.
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