Great story revolving around a life long friendship between Audrey and Violet. The both are "secretaries" for a Hollywood company. One wants to become an actress and the other just wants to get married and be a mother. Heartfelt and engaging story that I enjoyed.
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A good Hollywood story starting on a movie lot where Violet and Audrey became friends and roommates. They were both in a secretarial pool for the movie Gone With The Wind in 1939.

Time goes on through the 1960s and a lot happens over the years. They stay mostly friends throughout but then things change and secrets are kept between Violet, Audrey, and her husband Bert who was Audrey's friend before they met and then Lainey the daughter. It also involves a spare hat of Scarlett O'Hara's.

The ending was just right in the present time. ( )

Stars Over Sunset Boulevard by Susan Meissner is an interesting story of two young women who are working at the Selznick Studios as secretaries during the time of the filming of Gone With the Wind. Both girls have secrets that they don’t want exposed, Violet Mayfield is recovering from an operation that left her unable to have children. She was abandoned by her boyfriend and decided to leave the South and come to Hollywood. Audrey Duvall meets Violet and invites her to share her bungalow. Although working as a secretary, Audrey dreams of becoming a star, in fact she has no room in her life for anything other than her ambition. Audrey’s secret is that she has been pregnant twice and given up both babies.

While it was pretty obvious where the story was going, it was well written and engaging. I really enjoyed that the story was set against the backdrop of filming Gone With Wind, one of my favorite movies. Both the glimpses into cinematic history and the way the book examined the ups and downs of the friendship between these women kept the story moving along and the author wisely provided a couple of likeable yet flawed characters that kept the story from becoming too sweet.

There is a dual timeline to the story, but the modern parts are really just used to cement the story together and, in my opinion, didn’t add much to the story. This was the first book that I have read by this author although I have a number of hers on my shelf. I look forward to reading another one later on this month. ( )

Started out slow, but got much better. Enjoyed this one. ( )

4.5 stars.

Set against the backdrop of the Golden Age of Hollywood, Stars Over Sunset Boulevard by Susan Meissner is a truly captivating novel that explores the bonds of friendship.

The past intertwines with the present when vintage clothes store owner Christine McAllister discovers a hat from Gone with the Wind. How did the hat end up in the attic of a bungalow that she soon realizes has unexpected ties to her childhood? The answer lies in the distant past and a long ago friendship between two women who worked together during the filming of the epic movie.

When life throws her an unexpected curve, Violet Mayfield moves from Alabama to Hollywood to work for Selznick International. Working as a secretary on the set of Gone with the Wind, she is befriended by Audrey Duvall, another secretary who still dreams of stardom. In a world where close friendships are rare, Violet and Audrey quickly become bosom buddies despite their different backgrounds and personal dreams. Their relationship becomes complicated when Violet begins to fall in love with Audrey's close friend, Bert Redmond, a kindhearted young man who makes no secret that he would like more than friendship with Audrey.

Violet is a proper southern belle who has been groomed for marriage and motherhood. After an unexpected loss shatters her lifelong dream, she is eager to start over in a new place. She genuinely cares for Audrey but her love for Bert soon eclipses their friendship. When the opportunity to drive a wedge between Audrey and Bert presents itself, Violet impulsively makes a decision that she will eventually deeply regret in the later years of their friendship.

Years earlier, Audrey's movie career was over before it began but she never stops hoping for another big break. She is vivacious and fun-loving, but she has endured her share of heartache. After meeting Violet, Audrey's hopes for the future are revitalized and she renews her efforts to make it as an actress. Just as Violet achieves personal happiness, Audrey despairs her chance at stardom has passed her by but she finds surprising success in the theater. However, a failed relationship has repercussions that forever change the course of her professional life and her friendship with Violet.

An engaging and emotional novel that tugs at the heartstrings, Stars Over Sunset Boulevard by Susan Meissner is a beautiful story of a friendship that manages to survive despite deceit, betrayal and jealousy. A fascinating and entertaining novel that I highly recommend to fans of historical women's fiction.
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