Every Time We Say Goodbye

Jenner picks up where Bloomsbury Girls left off as protagonist Vivien Lowry pivots from bookselling to a new career as a playwright in 1950s London. The opening night of her second play feels “like a dream,” but harsh reviews cut its run short. When Vivien’s famed socialite friend Peggy Guggenheim helps her score a script-editing gig in Rome, she jumps at the chance to work on When All Else Fails, the story of an Italian police officer falling in love with an American singer on tour. Also preoccupying Vivien is the question of how her former fiancé, David, died, since she recently learned of his last-known whereabouts as a POW in Italy during WWII. In Rome, she embarks on an affair with producer John Lassiter, who is estranged from his Italian movie star wife. To make matters even more complicated, the Vatican shuts down production on the movie, partially due to its disagreement with the portrayal in another film from the studio of the Vatican’s policy of neutrality during the war. Jenner provides an insightful view into Italy’s postwar reckoning, and she imbues the novel’s many celebrity cameos—including actresses Sophia Loren and Gina Lollobrigida—with authentic flair. Jenner’s fans will love this. (May)