Join Paula McLain to talk about our February Book of the Month, THE PARIS WIFE, Tuesday 28th February 9-10pm

[TillyBookClub]

Anyone happen to see Midnight In Paris, Woody Allen's most recent (and hurrah, at last! enjoyable) film? Essentially Owen Wilson looking confused and cute and exploring his 'golden era', the historical moment that you would most like to live in. Which means drinking all night in Twenties Paris with Picasso, Matisse, Gertrude Stein, Dali, Duff Cooper, Scott Fitzgerald. But he discovers that not all those gilded free spirits are so keen to be there.

February's book also takes that golden era and flips it over. THE PARIS WIFE is the story of Hadley, aka Mrs Ernest Hemingway (the first one, the 'Paris one'), who first meets the handsome, energetic, vulnerable Nesto in Prohibition-era Chicago. Several parties, fights and a proposal later, and they find themselves penniless in the city of lights, amidst the glittering crowd of artists and writers that congregate in its cafes and bars. Ernest's career finally begins to take off, and Hadley, kept at home with their baby son, begins to be pushed further and further into the sidelines. As she watches the fault lines in her marriage crack ever wider, her desperation to hold onto her love only grows stronger...until she realises there is another ready to take her place.

Read more about the book at our book of the month page, or browse pictures of Hadley and Ernest on Paula's website

Virago are offering 50 copies of The Paris Wife to Mumsnetters. To bag your copy before they run out, please go to the book of the month page and fill in your details.

We'll post on this thread once the copies have all been sent out but if you're not lucky enough to bag a free copy, don't forget you can get your paperback or Kindle version here

We are delighted that Paula will be joining us at the end of February for the live webchat - we will confirm the exact date in the next few days. Look forward to seeing you all there, and do keep posting your thoughts and any advance questions on this thread...

[DuchessofMalfi]

My copy has just arrived too, thank you :). Looking forward to reading it.

[suzannened]

Arrived with perfect timing as finished my book yesterday

[whereismywine]

Yay it just come all shiny and new book smelling

[kittysaysmiaow]

Mine arrived today to much excitement. Thank you!

[LaVitaBellissima]

Mine too

Early night for me I think!

[aristocat]

me too

[elizabecca]

Just about to start this book - have been looking forward to this new book more than others before as its my first book club experience, and I'm not on night shifts when the author is on here - its even on my calendar.

[yUMMYmUMMYb]

got mine too, thanks. Not a book i would ever pick from the shelf so fingers crossed it's good.

[DuchessofMalfi]

I'm nearly half way, and really enjoying it.

[Abcinthia]

I finished it this afternoon. I really enjoyed reading it.

[drywhiteplease]

Have read it and excited to hear it is book of the month.cant wait to hear from author

[Teaddict]

I'm over halfway through this and enjoying the story but have a real sense of "come on, when is something going to happen?" - anyone else? Also I can't decide if Hadley is fantastically commited for supporting Ernest the way she does or cowardly for not standing up for herself more.

[DuchessofMalfi]

I finished reading it yesterday evening. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it, and I'm looking forward to the discussion of it with Paula McLain.

[coppertop]

This wasn't the kind of book I would normally buy, and usually anything with "deeply romantic" on the back cover would have me running for the hills. I was surprised to find that I really enjoyed it. I'm also secretly in awe of how much work must have gone into researching it all.

[amazonianwoman]

Just finished it and feeling utterly drained! I really enjoyed it...

Am embarrassed to say that I've never read more than a couple of Hemingway's short stories but have just downloaded The Sun Also Rises and A Moveable Feast to read next.

[Teaddict]

I finished this last night, fantastic book, makes me want to read some Hemingway too Amazonianwoman. I also want to find out what happened to Ernest in the rest of his life, he was a busy guy!

[areyoutheregoditsmemargaret]

I really enjoyed it, much more than I expected to ... I found the train moment absolutely heart stopping. Horrible.

Tilly, Are we allowed to post questions yet because I won't be back until late on Tues night and will miss the live discussion?

[AlmaMartyr]

I finished it last weekend and loved it. Left me feeling very exhausted and a bit emotional. I'm ashamed to admit I've never read any Hemingway but will be giving it a try now.

[Hullygully]

About half way. Hadley is a terrible drip. If I were Ernest I would have pushed her under the train for losing all his work.

[AlmaMartyr]

SGM - yes, I don't understand it being sold as romantic although I was glad that she seemed to end up with a decent man in the end. I want to read Hemingway just because I feel guilty that I never have - I've read a bit about him but not actually opened one of his books and I'd be interested to see what they're like.

[Hullygully]

I am half way through, but haven't seen Ernest to be a misogynist yet, or not as portrayed in the book. I wonder if Hadley really did lack all personality in real life?

[Hullygully]

So far I think he wants her to be his mum.

[Hullygully]

She has to sit in the corner a lot, doesn't she? And watch a lot of fishing. She must have been terribly bored, or brain dead.