Can't We Be Friends: A Novel of Ella Fitzgerald and Marilyn Monroe
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- Create Date：2024-03-16 07:21:54
- Update Date：2025-09-08
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- Author：Denny S. Bryce
- ISBN：B0CJWWRDTT
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Reviews
Kathleen Freeman
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Wow I can’t believe the research that must have gone into this book。 For me this was an interesting and engaging read， there was so much to learn and think about while reading this book。 I am glad I picked it up， it was really good。
Gabrielle J。 Agwu
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This was a touching story。 Although the author took some creative liberties， they feel real。 I enjoyed reading about Ella and Marilyn’s friendship。 Everyone needs a friend that they can be real around。 Too bad the demons in Marilyn’s life cut her time short。 Can you imagine with it would’ve been like if these two had grown old together？ The authors did a splendid job of honoring the friendship， lives， wins， struggles and losses of both Ella Fitzgerald and Marilyn Monroe。
Ivy Kaprow
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I was so excited to read this because while admittedly I don’t know much about Ella Fitzgerald， I adore Marilyn Monroe。 I’ve loved her since the nineties when I first heard Candle in the Wind and started reading whatever I could about her。 My love for her hasn’t waned over the years and I still get excited when I see a book written about her。 Anyway， I digress; this isn’t meant to be a thesis on my love for this wonderful and misunderstood woman but rather a review of this book。 Denny S。 Bryce a I was so excited to read this because while admittedly I don’t know much about Ella Fitzgerald， I adore Marilyn Monroe。 I’ve loved her since the nineties when I first heard Candle in the Wind and started reading whatever I could about her。 My love for her hasn’t waned over the years and I still get excited when I see a book written about her。 Anyway， I digress; this isn’t meant to be a thesis on my love for this wonderful and misunderstood woman but rather a review of this book。 Denny S。 Bryce and Eliza Knight have written a very comprehensive book about the long and loving friendship of these two iconic women。 While I love historical fiction， I always have such a hard time when the subject is a real person since clearly not everything written is fact。 I love how the majority of this book is factual， but it makes the fictitious parts and speculations of the authors a little hard to stomach。 I really wanted to like this book but the overall writing of this was so dull and slow that I found myself bored to tears while reading the majority of it and it truly dampened the joy I felt when I first picked it up。 Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow Publishing for an advanced copy of this。 Can’t We Be Friends hit the shelves on March 5th。 。。。more
Jenna
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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5#gifted @bibliolifestyle @williammorrowbooks Let me start by saying that no biography depicting Marilyn’s last moments has ever made me sob the way this one did。 The reason is likely because this is historical fiction， so the authors were able to put you in the hacienda and in the bedroom with Marilyn in what they best believe happened to her versus the biographies that kind of tell from a third person speculation。 I don’t believe what they believe， but there was something very persona ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5#gifted @bibliolifestyle @williammorrowbooks Let me start by saying that no biography depicting Marilyn’s last moments has ever made me sob the way this one did。 The reason is likely because this is historical fiction， so the authors were able to put you in the hacienda and in the bedroom with Marilyn in what they best believe happened to her versus the biographies that kind of tell from a third person speculation。 I don’t believe what they believe， but there was something very personal， intimate and heartbreaking about being with her in those moments。 This is the historical fiction story of the friendship between Ella Fitzgerald and Marilyn Monroe。 I loved the way they had song titles for Ella’s chapters and Marilyn’s chapters had her movie titles。 It was a little confusing though that they weren’t in order and I would be curious how the authors decided to put which movie for each chapter。 I found myself very interested in the story of their friendship and I was often googling to find out what really happened and what was made up。 Overall an interesting， entertaining and heartbreaking story of friendship， perfect for Women’s History Month！ Thank you @elizaknightfiction and @dennysbryce for this rarely told gift of a story。 ❤️ Out now！ As of March 5th。 #cantwebefriends #dennysbryce #elizaknight #bibliolifestyle #marilynmonroe #ellafitzgerald #womenshistorymonth #womensfiction #historicalfiction #friendsalbum #moviesandmusic #mocambo #jazz #hollywood #bookreview 。。。more
Steef Jacobson
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Great story of 2 amazing people whose stories make the era。
Ellie
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Can't We Be Friends: A Novel of Ella Fitzgerald and Marilyn Monroe is a novel based on the real life friendship of the great jazz singer， Ella Fitzgerald and the legendary Marilyn Monroe。 The book is in chapters that alternate between the two women， co-written by two authors: Denny S。 Bryce writing the chapters in Fitzgerld's voice and Eliza Knight the Marilyn ones。The tone is easy and engaging， the prose as smooth as music itself。 The two voices complement each other， each bearing a sound match Can't We Be Friends: A Novel of Ella Fitzgerald and Marilyn Monroe is a novel based on the real life friendship of the great jazz singer， Ella Fitzgerald and the legendary Marilyn Monroe。 The book is in chapters that alternate between the two women， co-written by two authors: Denny S。 Bryce writing the chapters in Fitzgerld's voice and Eliza Knight the Marilyn ones。The tone is easy and engaging， the prose as smooth as music itself。 The two voices complement each other， each bearing a sound matching my vision of the woman it embodies。I was caught up in all of the strands the novel weaves--each woman's narrative of her own life and the strand of their relationship。 Both share the battle of living in a very public way， with an image to maintain， each struggling as a woman in the 1950s （and early 60s） to maintain control of that personal and of their career in the face of male power and public pressure。The women share other struggles as well--in particular the desire for a loving relationship with a man--while maintaining their own autonomy。 The narrative is shadowed with the knowledge of Monroe's failed relationships， abuse， and her ultimate fate。I entered the giveaway because I am a hute fan of Fitzgerald （who is not？） and fascinated by Marilyn Monroe--as well as appricating the quality of her work in films。 I was worried the writing wouldn't live up to the subject matter but it more than did。My only concern is what it always is with historical fiction: how much is true and how much is invented？ Obviously the conversations are invented but it is difficult to know how close to the reality of them and their relationships with others。That being said， it felt real。 The women feel 3 dimensional; the authors have both created a powerful presence unique to each persona。 I was completely captured by the story （or stories） and despite my familiarity with the facts of each woman's life， felt as though I were discovering them for the first time。A vivid and personable novel: strongly recommended。 。。。more
Stacey
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4，5。 Enjoyable and well written book about these two unlikely friends。 I learned a lot about both of the woman and enjoyed every minute of it。
Tracee
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"Our meeting was not an accident or a publicity stunt; it was because of a song。" "Our meeting was not an accident or a publicity stunt; it was because of a song。" 。。。more
Carly
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Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for this digital advance copy in exchange for my honest review。 This book was published on March 5， 2024。The first thing that caught my eye about this was its beautiful cover; it felt like I was being pulled in by the magnetism of these two American icons。 I discovered this book while hunting for a memoir or biography about Ella Fitzgerald， one of my favorite artists。 I had no idea she and Marilyn Monroe were friends。 I’ve always been fascinated by Monro Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for this digital advance copy in exchange for my honest review。 This book was published on March 5， 2024。The first thing that caught my eye about this was its beautiful cover; it felt like I was being pulled in by the magnetism of these two American icons。 I discovered this book while hunting for a memoir or biography about Ella Fitzgerald， one of my favorite artists。 I had no idea she and Marilyn Monroe were friends。 I’ve always been fascinated by Monroe， as well， so it felt like a bonus that this was a fictional take on their real friendship。One of the issues I had while reading was that I needed to continually remind myself that it is a work of historical fiction and that the authors took creative license when writing it。 I love reading historical fiction， however， sometimes I don’t enjoy books that fictionalize actual historical figures because I like to separate fiction from real events。 I felt I needed to constantly look up events that happened in the novel to see if they really occurred， and I think that detracted from my reading experience。The disjointed structure of the book was another issue for me。 Switching between Ella’s first person and Marilyn’s third person made the writing hard to follow at times。 Additionally， there isn’t a cohesive plot; it’s mainly vignettes of fictionalized meetings between Ella and Marilyn， ending with Marilyn’s death。 At worst， it felt a little forced， like shoving two different timelines together。 There are certainly some similarities between Ella’s and Marilyn’s lives; they each endured some unspeakable hardships and it was nice to think their friendship helped them overcome some struggles。 I appreciated that the authors took time in the end to acknowledge their research in addition to what they fictionalized。Overall， I would recommend this to fans of Ella or Marilyn who want an escape into historical fiction。 But if you’re on the hunt for strictly facts about these iconic women， I would be wary of this。 。。。more
Red Head who Loves to Read
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Thank you to my partner Bibliolifestyle and WilliamMorrow for this book in exchange of my honest review of Can't We Be Friends。 Can't We Be Friends was a fictional tale about friendships and that friendship was Ella Fitzgerald and Marilyn Monroe。 These authors wrote an amazing historical fiction novel and they did a great job writing about this friendship。 This book is one that I highly enjoyed reading and one that I would highly recommend to other readers so that they can go on a captivating jo Thank you to my partner Bibliolifestyle and WilliamMorrow for this book in exchange of my honest review of Can't We Be Friends。 Can't We Be Friends was a fictional tale about friendships and that friendship was Ella Fitzgerald and Marilyn Monroe。 These authors wrote an amazing historical fiction novel and they did a great job writing about this friendship。 This book is one that I highly enjoyed reading and one that I would highly recommend to other readers so that they can go on a captivating journey and learn about this friendship。 。。。more
Deborah Cleaves
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The authors spent time， not only on research， but on empathetically recreating two human beings whose friendship was uncommon in that era。 This feels like you’ve crawled into the shoes of both and watched the evolution of them， and their friendship， over decades of random yet purposeful actions。 It is so nice not to have the shrill voices of media hysterics speaking through the myopia of idolatry。 Instead we see these women as three dimensional， flawed， striving human beings who did the best the The authors spent time， not only on research， but on empathetically recreating two human beings whose friendship was uncommon in that era。 This feels like you’ve crawled into the shoes of both and watched the evolution of them， and their friendship， over decades of random yet purposeful actions。 It is so nice not to have the shrill voices of media hysterics speaking through the myopia of idolatry。 Instead we see these women as three dimensional， flawed， striving human beings who did the best they could at what mattered to them。 One exquisite duo rendered believably normal by another duo who took their time to get it right。 Thank you。 。。。more
Margaret
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This is historical fiction， not a biography。 Some facts happened， some are speculation。 It's an interesting approach to the lives of two women that found some common ground。 My interest came from knowing little about Ella and a lot about Marilyn。 The problem is separating the real lies from the truth。 Something that will never be completely known。 I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book from NetGalley。 This is historical fiction， not a biography。 Some facts happened， some are speculation。 It's an interesting approach to the lives of two women that found some common ground。 My interest came from knowing little about Ella and a lot about Marilyn。 The problem is separating the real lies from the truth。 Something that will never be completely known。 I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book from NetGalley。 。。。more
Laurel
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💃🏻🤵🏻♀️
Sharlene
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"Can't We Be Friends": by Denny S Bryce and Eliza Knight In the enthralling novel "Can't We Be Friends，" authors Denny S。 Bryce and Eliza Knight delve into the intriguing lives of two iconic women: Ella Fitzgerald， renowned as the Queen of Jazz， and Marilyn Monroe， the glamorous Hollywood star。 Set against the backdrop of 1952， the narrative revolves around their unlikely yet genuine friendship。 Despite their vastly different backgrounds， Ella and Marilyn find common ground their shared struggle "Can't We Be Friends": by Denny S Bryce and Eliza Knight In the enthralling novel "Can't We Be Friends，" authors Denny S。 Bryce and Eliza Knight delve into the intriguing lives of two iconic women: Ella Fitzgerald， renowned as the Queen of Jazz， and Marilyn Monroe， the glamorous Hollywood star。 Set against the backdrop of 1952， the narrative revolves around their unlikely yet genuine friendship。 Despite their vastly different backgrounds， Ella and Marilyn find common ground their shared struggle against societal norms。Bryce and Knight skillfully portray Ella and Marilyn's unwavering support for each other， emphasizing the profound power of friendship。 Their heartwarming depiction leaves a lasting impression， urging readers to appreciate the bonds that transcend societal barriers。 For enthusiasts of historical fiction， strong female characters， and stories that resonate long after the final page， I wholeheartedly recommend this captivating book。 。。。more
Rebecca Rosenberg
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"Can't We Be Friends" brings to life the improbable yet deeply resonant friendship between two icons: Ella Fitzgerald， the Queen of Jazz， and Marilyn Monroe， the bombshell Hollywood starlet。 Denny S。 Bryce and Eliza Knight weave a compelling tale of shared challenges， quiet strength， and the unexpected solace found in female solidarity。The novel promises to delve beyond the glitter and fame， revealing Fitzgerald's struggles against racial prejudice and Monroe's battle to break free from industry "Can't We Be Friends" brings to life the improbable yet deeply resonant friendship between two icons: Ella Fitzgerald， the Queen of Jazz， and Marilyn Monroe， the bombshell Hollywood starlet。 Denny S。 Bryce and Eliza Knight weave a compelling tale of shared challenges， quiet strength， and the unexpected solace found in female solidarity。The novel promises to delve beyond the glitter and fame， revealing Fitzgerald's struggles against racial prejudice and Monroe's battle to break free from industry stereotypes and controlling men。 It's a timely theme - the female fight for autonomy and respect that continues to resonate today。"Can't We Be Friends" offers more than historical fiction。 It's a testament to the power of connection， the transformative support women can offer each other， and a bittersweet reminder that even our heroes experience heartbreak and loneliness。 Readers drawn to biographical fiction， stories of female empowerment， or simply curious about these legendary figures， are in for a captivating read。 。。。more
Lori Boyd
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⭐️⭐️⭐️✨The special friendship between Ella Fitzgerald and Marilyn Monroe is explored in this novel。 Marilyn’s outgoing personality and Ella’s reserved one were a compliment to each other。 These women shared a rough upbringing， bonded over social injustice and tried to help each other thru the issues of being in the public eye。 I totally fell down the rabbit hole reading more of this on my own。 I knew nothing of this unique friendship and gained a whole new appreciation for these women and the ha ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨The special friendship between Ella Fitzgerald and Marilyn Monroe is explored in this novel。 Marilyn’s outgoing personality and Ella’s reserved one were a compliment to each other。 These women shared a rough upbringing， bonded over social injustice and tried to help each other thru the issues of being in the public eye。 I totally fell down the rabbit hole reading more of this on my own。 I knew nothing of this unique friendship and gained a whole new appreciation for these women and the hand they’ve been dealt。 Ella， the quiet reserved one， kept things to herself， especially her private life， and tried to steer her friend away from her questionable life choices。 Marilyn， the outgoing one， who loved life and hated what was happening to her friend and would use her celebrity to make it right， her dependency on painkillers， alcohol。 They both craved love but finding it in the spotlight made it impossible。 Loved how these two forged a friendship against all odds and tried to lift each other。 I appreciated how the authors didn’t sugarcoat their shortcomings。 For me， the story was slow moving in parts。 Overall the writing was compelling， honest。 Thanks to William Morrow for this ARC。 This is my honest opinion。 。。。more
Sherri
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***I received an ARC from Net Galley in exchange for my honest reviewThis story begins in 1952， when Marilyn Monroe writes a letter to Ella Fitzgerald asking her to give her singing lessons。 Ella declines， saying that she is no voice coach， but Marilyn is persistent。 She continues to write Ella and they become pen pals。 When Ella has to have surgery on her vocal cords and is forced to spend six weeks not making a sound， Marilyn makes a surprise visit and the two become friends for life。 To outsi ***I received an ARC from Net Galley in exchange for my honest reviewThis story begins in 1952， when Marilyn Monroe writes a letter to Ella Fitzgerald asking her to give her singing lessons。 Ella declines， saying that she is no voice coach， but Marilyn is persistent。 She continues to write Ella and they become pen pals。 When Ella has to have surgery on her vocal cords and is forced to spend six weeks not making a sound， Marilyn makes a surprise visit and the two become friends for life。 To outsiders， their friendship was a puzzlement， but to them it made perfect sense。 They both had troubled childhoods， they were both being controlled and underestimated by the men in their lives - husbands， managers， hangers-on， they both desperately wanted to shine in the spotlight， and they both loved to eat。 This novel reveals and celebrates their surprising bond over a decade and serves as a poignant reminder of how true friendship can cross differences to bolster and sustain us through haunting heartbreak and wild success。This novel was fascinating。 I was familiar with much of Marilyn Monroe's story， but I didn't know anything about Ella Fitzgerald's including the fact that the two of them were close friends。 At a time when segregati9n was still an issue， I love that they were able to rise above all of that， and become friends and confidantes。 Their stories were almost mirror opposites of each other。 Marilyn's was a history of physical and emotional abuse from men who promised to love & cherish her， drug and alcohol abuse， a straight downward spiral。 Ella's story was one of a star rising。。。she had some pitfalls， but she overcame them， and came back stronger than ever。 As much as I pitied Marilyn， I admired Ella。 If you are a fan of historical fiction， you are definitely going to want to put this on the top of your TBR pile。 I highly recommend it！ 。。。more
Lori
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I received a copy of the book， "Can't We Be Friends？"from NetGalley。 It was wrtten by two authors Eliza Knight and Denny S。 Bryce。 It focuses on the friendship that develops between Ella Fitzgerald and Marilyn Monroe。 They started their friendship when Marilyn Monroe kept trying to contact her asking if she could give her singing lessons。 For awhile the letters were ignored until Ella responded by saying she would not be able to teach her how to sing Marilyn showed up to visit her。 She was a big I received a copy of the book， "Can't We Be Friends？"from NetGalley。 It was wrtten by two authors Eliza Knight and Denny S。 Bryce。 It focuses on the friendship that develops between Ella Fitzgerald and Marilyn Monroe。 They started their friendship when Marilyn Monroe kept trying to contact her asking if she could give her singing lessons。 For awhile the letters were ignored until Ella responded by saying she would not be able to teach her how to sing Marilyn showed up to visit her。 She was a big fan of the talented singer。 they slowly became friends during the 1950s and up until Marilyn's untimely death。 The book follows the careers and the challenges each woman faced。 Ella was concerned for her friend who could be emotionally fragile and Marilyn's addiction to pills and alcohol。 She was devastated when the young actress died。 Marilyn adored Ella and was huge fan of the wonderful singer。 Ella Fitzgerald had her own challenges being show business and being a black woman。 The book goes back and forth in chapters focusing on each perforner。 a good read。 。。。more
Barbee
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Book: Can’t We Be Friends？Authors: Denny S。 Bryce and Eliza KnightPublisher : William Morrow PaperbacksLength: 396 PagesOverall Rating: 5/5 Stars Blog Rating: 5/5 Saltire FlagsTo think he’s going to fill up his greedy accounts when all I ever got was $50。 Who am I kidding？ He probably stuffs it under his dirty mattress。 Hugh Hefner， who’s ever heard of him and his dumb magazine， Playboy？…book quote by Marilyn Monroe in “Can’t We Be Friends” by Denny S Bryce and Eliza KnightThis is a historical f Book: Can’t We Be Friends？Authors: Denny S。 Bryce and Eliza KnightPublisher : William Morrow PaperbacksLength: 396 PagesOverall Rating: 5/5 Stars Blog Rating: 5/5 Saltire FlagsTo think he’s going to fill up his greedy accounts when all I ever got was $50。 Who am I kidding？ He probably stuffs it under his dirty mattress。 Hugh Hefner， who’s ever heard of him and his dumb magazine， Playboy？…book quote by Marilyn Monroe in “Can’t We Be Friends” by Denny S Bryce and Eliza KnightThis is a historical fiction book about the rare close friendship between the Queen of jazz， singer Ella Fitzgerald and bombshell beauty， Queen of the screen Marilyn Monroe。 You would never guess how much this plus sized， black singer and the white， platinum blonde， iconic actress who became the world’s pop-culture-icon had in common。 It was about wanting help to make Monroe a better singer as Marilyn was a perfectionist and wanted to be taken seriously in her profession as an actress。 To her there was no one better than her singing idol Ella Fitzgerald。 Except Ella turned her down in a very eloquent sweet way explaining she was never trained professionally that the music was just inside her。 Marilyn understood perfectly it was Ella’s god given gift。 Marilyn’s letters still continued as what Marilyn really needed was a friend and Ella seemed to need that too besides her assistant Georgina Henry and her adopted son Ray Jr。。Plus both being in this insane entertainment industry they understood things that people outside the business would not。 They really ended up trusting each other and confided in each other with secrets they did not share with anyone else。 On top of that they both had similar palettes especially for pastrami sandwiches！ In the beginning it was Georgina who answered the letters except soon it was Ella。 Ella felt flattered that America’s current favorite sweetheart on film loved her music。 Soon Ella looked forward to Marilyn’s letters as Ella was going through a difficult divorce so listening to Marilyn speak to her about funny things happening in her life brought humor into Ella’s life。 Soon both women realized they needed to meet in person realizing they both had bad abusive childhoods， grew up during the Great Depression and also dealt with some of the same prejudices in their lives with so much prejudice in entertainment that women still fight for today in 2024。 Yet Marilyn was a passionate supporter of the civil rights movement and did fight for Ella when she was being banned by a certain nightclub to perform。 Monroe used her celebrity status to appear so Ella could perform。 She made sure her friend could play where people snubbed her for her size or skin color。 Unfortunately the civil rights movement and segregation was at the center in the 1950’s sadly。 In the beginning Marilyn had to deal with a different kind of prejudice where directors and producers grabbed her inappropriately and asked for personal favors if she wanted a specific part。 This was called the casting couch and also threatened her never to work again if she does not submit。 They were the Harvey Weinstein’s of the 1950’s sadly。 I loved this book so much my heart definitely went out to both Ella and Marilyn and all they had to deal with。 I found myself very emotional wiping my tears as I read this brilliant read that definitely touched my heart！ I personally still feel there was foul play in Marilyn’s death by the Kennedy brothers after all this family is not unfamiliar with mystery and death。 Well both did not live into the next decade。 So I do not know if I will ever get the answer to that。 I personally do not think it was suicide if anything it was an accidental overdose。 Again this is my personal opinion as I have always been a fan of her work。 You can hear Ella Fitgerald’s hit song “A Tisket A Tasket” even in an episode of The Gilmore Girls in 2002。 As for Ella my heart went out to her too from her personal hardships and later in life in her seventies where she had both of her legs amputated below her knees from her diabetes and was also partially blind。 So she also had different kinds of demons， honestly I believe both of these women just wanted to be loved like everyone else in the world！ Both of these multi talented women had many demons yet they did not let the racial prejudices of the world affect their friendship。 Godbless them both in eternal peace！ It is a book I couldn't put down even though I knew it would be filled with a lot of hardships， plus I knew a lot of Marilyn’s history。 I was surprised that Ella also had some demons of her own in a completely different way。 I found myself listening to Ella’s music online and watching clips from all of Marilyn’s former films and listening to some of her interviews。 I will end this book review with a Marilyn Monroe quote from her last interview days before her death。 “Fame is fickle and I know it。 It has its compensations but it also has its drawbacks， and I have experienced both。”This historical fiction novel about the friendship between the iconic Marilyn Monroe and Queen of Jazz， Ella Fitzgerald is absolutely so cleverly done。 I loved this book so much my heart definitely went out to both Ella and Marilyn and all they had to deal with。 Both Bryce and Knight were a perfect collaboration in this magnificent historical fiction masterpiece。 As Bryce and Knight wrote a phenomenal book from start to finish！ It is one of those rare books that is also very hard to come by and stays with you long after you have read it。 It is absolutely awe inspiring！ A novel I absolutely loved and can not recommend enough！ Bravo to both Denny S。 Bryce and Eliza Knight on penning such a dazzling， bright， luminescent book where each page absolutely shined with true brilliance！Disclaimer: I received an advance reader's copy from the William Morrow Paperbacks。 I voluntarily agreed to do an honest， fair， review and blog through netgalley。 All words， ideas and thoughts are my own。 Buy Links:https://www。amazon。com/Cant-We-Be-Fri。。。https://books。apple。com/us/book/cant-。。。https://www。barnesandnoble。com/w/cant。。。https://www。kobo。com/us/en/ebook/can-。。。 。。。more
Stephanie Herron
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Friendships should not be hard， yet they were for Marilyn and Ella。 Each of them had a rough childhood that effected their ability to open themselves up to others。 We see the success they had， but don't stop to think of all the hard work it took for them to get there。 It's a fascinating read about strong women who broke barriers， but still struggled to find true happiness。 There are numerous revelations that were very thought provoking， some of which I looked up to find more about。 Reading this Friendships should not be hard， yet they were for Marilyn and Ella。 Each of them had a rough childhood that effected their ability to open themselves up to others。 We see the success they had， but don't stop to think of all the hard work it took for them to get there。 It's a fascinating read about strong women who broke barriers， but still struggled to find true happiness。 There are numerous revelations that were very thought provoking， some of which I looked up to find more about。 Reading this was definitely an emotional roller coaster as the authors do an amazing job of pulling you into the highs and lows of their lives。 Their friendship despite everything should be a lesson to us all on being and appreciating our friends。 。。。more
Karen
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CAN'T WE BE FRIENDSBY: DENNY S。 BRYCE AND ELIZA KNIGHTAbout 4，5 Stars！"Can't We Be Friends，" is a poignant and at times heartbreaking story of a decade of the friendship between Ella Fitzgerald and Marilyn Monroe。 It begins with Marilyn Monroe writing to Jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald asking her for singing lessons。 Ella declined and said something like 'I'm not a music teacher' to her cousin Georgiana who thinks that etiquette would require a response。 Marilyn persists in writing and somehow they CAN'T WE BE FRIENDSBY: DENNY S。 BRYCE AND ELIZA KNIGHTAbout 4，5 Stars！"Can't We Be Friends，" is a poignant and at times heartbreaking story of a decade of the friendship between Ella Fitzgerald and Marilyn Monroe。 It begins with Marilyn Monroe writing to Jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald asking her for singing lessons。 Ella declined and said something like 'I'm not a music teacher' to her cousin Georgiana who thinks that etiquette would require a response。 Marilyn persists in writing and somehow they became friends。 These two iconic women met often in restaurants where they could get an out of the way table that shielded them from the press。 They were extremely supportive of one another for most of the period between 1952-1962。 The two authors that collaborated together each have an Author's Note at the end of this historical work。 One of the things that they both state in their individual Author's Note is that there is much less known about Ella Fitzgerald， as she was a private person， but they have included a bibliography， and they both maintain that this was a massive project to undertake。 The scope of which they haven't included everything， as well as everybody that was involved。 They have tried to stay as true factually to the historic records they've researched and their idea for this project was gleaned in 2019。I couldn't help but be emotionally affected by this historical fiction that is beautifully written about these two talented women。 They both were drawn together in friendship by showing a genuine interest in how things were progressing for one another both professionally and personally。 Ella had a son named Ray， Jr。 whom she often felt guilty for spending so much time traveling and performing and not devoting more time to her young son。 Marilyn wanted children on a deep level but kept suffering with multiple miscarriages。 The mother in me felt sad for both of them knowing how fast children grow up and I understand the inner turmoil and regrets of not spending as much time with my children。 I empathized with Ella being torn towards the need to pursue her passion and the innate guilt that we mothers feel for time spent away from our children。 Now that mine are out of the house and young adults are doing normal things for their age。 It's sad that Marilyn never knew the powerful and all consuming love that a mother feels for her children。 Now the tables have turned and I have more time for my children I wish I could go back in time knowing what I know now。 Marilyn was lonely and even though she had three husbands she felt unloved。 Both Ella and Marilyn were driven to reach the very top of their professions。 Both women had been hurt romantically， but in this narrative Ella Fitzgerald seemed to have an easier time。 Marilyn was addicted to prescription medication and often mixed it with alcohol。 Ella could see how Marilyn was abusing different prescription pills often mixing them with alcohol， and tried to persuade Marilyn to stop out of a genuine concern for her friend's health。 Marilyn couldn't seem to understand the harmful effects and the toll that they were taking on her。 It's really sad how little was known during that era about addiction compared to what's known today。Both Marilyn Monroe and Ella Fitzgerald shared bad early marriages。 They both had lost their mothers and had evil stepfathers。 They had orphanages in common。 They both tried to leave their pain in the past。 Marilyn was the Queen of the Silver Screen and Ella was the Queen of Jazz。 They were both able to know and enjoy each other's company in a great friendship with mutual respect to celebrate their many commonalities， as well as each other's challenges。 Ella always would stick to drinking Shirley Temples while Marilyn would likely be drinking an alcoholic beverage while sharing a hearty meal。 I could go on more about how these women had common obstacles and at the same time they had different challenges。 It was written powerfully in a way that felt intimate which I appreciated。 However， it was painful at times feeling too closely connected to their hardships。 It has made me want to explore each of these two women more using the sources provided in this book。 My heart needs to recover first with something lighter。 The message is the triumphant bonds and powerful support women can gain from close friendships。 I enjoyed that aspect more at least for the time being。 One thing is for sure， is that these two authors did a great job researching， writing and have crafted a moving and haunting tribute to two unforgettable women。Publication Date: March 5th， 2024Thank you to Net Galley， Denny S。 Bryce， Eliza Knight and William Morrow for generously providing me with my eARC in exchange for a fair and honest review。 All opinions are my own。#Can'tWeBeFriends #DennySBryce #ElizaKnight #WilliamMorrow #NetGalley 。。。more
Andi
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Unveiling the Depth of Friendship: My Critical Review of "Can't We Be Friends" by Eliza KnightInstead of falling prey to the gaudy allure of Hollywood biographies， Eliza Knight's "Can't We Be Friends" ventures beyond the surface， offering an Idiosyncratic and thought-provoking exploration of the surprising and profound camaraderie between Marilyn Monroe and Ella Fitzgerald。Knight's consummate writing goes beyond simply recounting the well-known tales of these iconic figures。 She delves into the Unveiling the Depth of Friendship: My Critical Review of "Can't We Be Friends" by Eliza KnightInstead of falling prey to the gaudy allure of Hollywood biographies， Eliza Knight's "Can't We Be Friends" ventures beyond the surface， offering an Idiosyncratic and thought-provoking exploration of the surprising and profound camaraderie between Marilyn Monroe and Ella Fitzgerald。Knight's consummate writing goes beyond simply recounting the well-known tales of these iconic figures。 She delves into the complexities and contradictions that shaped their lives。 Monroe， often placed on a pedestal for her beauty and charismatic presence， battles the stifling expectations of a society that seeks to control her image。 Fitzgerald， meanwhile， navigates the frenetic world of entertainment while facing the harsh realities of racial prejudice and discrimination。Within these struggles， however， is borne an extraordinary friendship。 Knight paints an intricate picture of this unique bond， portraying it as a source of solace and strength for both women。 Their connection transcends the superficial world they inhabit， offering a genuine sense of understanding and support。 In doing so， Knight places a spotlight on the universal power of human connection， especially in the face of adversity。"Can't We Be Friends" is more than just a historical fiction novel; it's a multifaceted exploration of themes like female empowerment， the resilience of the human spirit， and the transformative power of friendship。 Knight's masterful prose not only allows readers to witness the triumphs and challenges faced by these iconic figures but also to experience a genuine emotional connection to their journeys。 The novel serves as a refreshing reminder that even within the most glamorous and demanding environments， genuine connections can form in unexpected places， offering warmth and hope amidst the complexities of life。This captivating read is a valuable addition to the bookshelf of anyone interested in delving into the lives of these legendary figures， understanding the intricacies of the entertainment industry， or simply seeking a story that celebrates the enduring power and beauty of human connection。 。。。more
Karen Trosterud
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This was a fun and fast read！ Really enjoyed the story line！ Highly highly recommend！ Thank you to netgalley for an advanced copy
Tonja
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What an amazing story！ Although I knew some about Marilyn Monroe。 I knew little about Ella and had no idea that they were friends。 The story was told from dual viewpoints。 In the story their friendship grew slowly through letters and phone calls。 Initially I thought they could not be more different。 One known for her sexy voice and appearance in movies and the other one of the greatest voices of her time。 What the story brought to the surface was the shared struggles and ambition the two had in What an amazing story！ Although I knew some about Marilyn Monroe。 I knew little about Ella and had no idea that they were friends。 The story was told from dual viewpoints。 In the story their friendship grew slowly through letters and phone calls。 Initially I thought they could not be more different。 One known for her sexy voice and appearance in movies and the other one of the greatest voices of her time。 What the story brought to the surface was the shared struggles and ambition the two had in common。 Both were trail blazers in their own way。 Marilyn fighting to be taken seriously as an actress and for just pay and treatment in a male dominated industry。 Ella， fighting against racial injustice and the limits put on her by men in her life。 It broke my heart how they both wanted to find true love and went through a lot of heartbreak searching for it。 They trusted and depended on each other professionally and personally。 This story also presented a more intimate picture of how Marilyn was haunted by her past and her dependency on drugs and alcohol。 I received a free copy from the publisher。 All opinions are my own。 4。5 stars 。。。more
Julia✨Book Reviews by Jules✨
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Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this book in exchange for my review！ All opinions are my own。 This was a very eye-opening read about the surprising friendship of Marilyn Monroe and Ella Fitzgerald。 I do remember seeing a Facebook post about Marilyn standing up for Ella when someone was racist to her at a nightclub。 So， when I heard about this book I had to read it。 I liked the banter and back-and-forth between the two women。 I don't exactly know how true it is， but Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this book in exchange for my review！ All opinions are my own。 This was a very eye-opening read about the surprising friendship of Marilyn Monroe and Ella Fitzgerald。 I do remember seeing a Facebook post about Marilyn standing up for Ella when someone was racist to her at a nightclub。 So， when I heard about this book I had to read it。 I liked the banter and back-and-forth between the two women。 I don't exactly know how true it is， but I want to believe they had a strong friendship as depicted in the book。 If you love Hollywood and celebrities （and music）， and you also enjoy historical fiction， I am sure you will love this book like I did。 I am definitely going to consider reading more books by these two authors in the future！–Connect with Me <3My blog is https://bookreviewsbyjules。blogspot。com/Goodreads: https://www。goodreads。com/user/show/4。。。 （follow me and/or send a friend request！）Instagram/bookstagram: https://www。instagram。com/bookreviews。。。 （I follow back all Book accounts）Substack: https://bookreviewsbyjules。substack。com/ （feel free to subscribe！） 。。。more
Andrea Wenger
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When Marilyn Monroe seeks singing help， she turns to the best: renowned jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald。 The two quickly become close friends。 Despite their apparent differences， both women defy male expectations。 They fight for independence and agency in their careers and personal lives。 This novel explores their friendship over a decade， showcasing the power of friendship to overcome obstacles and celebrate successes。This is an intimate portrait of two twentieth-century icons， weaving their real-l When Marilyn Monroe seeks singing help， she turns to the best: renowned jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald。 The two quickly become close friends。 Despite their apparent differences， both women defy male expectations。 They fight for independence and agency in their careers and personal lives。 This novel explores their friendship over a decade， showcasing the power of friendship to overcome obstacles and celebrate successes。This is an intimate portrait of two twentieth-century icons， weaving their real-life friendship into a vibrant and compelling fictional narrative。 While it’s historical fiction， the themes are very much relevant to contemporary culture。Thanks， NetGalley， for the ARC I received。 This is my honest and voluntary review。 。。。more
Michelle
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A revealing look into the relatively unknown friendship between Marilyn Monroe and Ella Fitzgerald。 Ella's story was less well known to me， and I so enjoyed getting to know her strong，talented persona， her family and her career path。 Ella's early life is missing her， but Marilyn's more familiar story is told in pieces。Excellent narration by Karen Chilton as Ella and Carolyn Hewitt as Marilyn。A poignant audiobook hitting their career highlights and personal low points， setmainly in the 1950's。 A revealing look into the relatively unknown friendship between Marilyn Monroe and Ella Fitzgerald。 Ella's story was less well known to me， and I so enjoyed getting to know her strong，talented persona， her family and her career path。 Ella's early life is missing her， but Marilyn's more familiar story is told in pieces。Excellent narration by Karen Chilton as Ella and Carolyn Hewitt as Marilyn。A poignant audiobook hitting their career highlights and personal low points， setmainly in the 1950's。 。。。more
Susan
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This was a quick and enjoyable read。 I knew very little about Marilyn Monroe’s background and private life， and even less about Ella Fitzgerald。 I was fascinated to read about their mutually supportive friendship。 I would recommend this to fans of historical and biographical fiction， especially those with an interest in the entertainment industry。 I received a complimentary copy of this book。 Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own。
Lori D
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A wonderful story blending fiction and historical facts makes this an amazing read！The thought of these two strong women， so famous in each of their own categories form a friendship neither could have imaged。So much in common from their struggles with family， the public， their managers and those around them who tried to control them。Spanning a ten year period， references make you want to go look up facts and go down the wonderful rabbit holes that often bring even more amazement！！
Stephanie Burns
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