Jackie & Me

(Paperback)

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ABSOLUTELY IRRESISTIBLE. People

In 1951, former debutante Jacqueline Bouvier is hard at work as the Inquiring Camera Girl for a Washington newspaper. Her mission in life is not to be a housewife, but when she meets the charismatic congressman Jack Kennedy at a Georgetown party, her resolution begins to falter. Soon the two are flirting over secret phone calls, cocktails, and dinner dates, and as Jackie is drawn deeper into the Kennedy orbit, and as Jack himself grows increasingly elusive and absent, she begins to question what life at his side would mean. For answers, she turns to his best friend and confidant, Lem Billings, a closeted gay man who has made the Kennedy family his own, and who has been instructed by them to seal the deal with Jacks new girl. But as he gets to know her, a deep and touching friendship emerges, leaving him with painfully divided alliances and a troubling dilemma: Is this the marriage she deserves

Narrated by an older Lem as he looks back at his own role in a complicated alliance, this is a courtship story full of longing and of suspense, of what-ifs and possible wrong turns. It is a surprising look at Jackie before she was that Jackie. And in best-selling author Louis Bayards witty and deeply empathetic telling, Jackie & Me is a page-turning story of friendship, love, sacrifice, and betrayal and a fresh take on two iconic American figures.

Reviews

Absolutely irresistible.Kim Hubbard, People (Best Books of Summer 2022)

Absolutely irresistible.
Kim Hubbard,People (Best Books of Summer 2022)

"What a pleasure . . . Bayard is such an exuberant storyteller . . . This stylish, sexy, nostalgic story will linger like Jackies signature scent of Pall Malls and Chateau Krigler 12. Its a complicated bouquet of bitter and sweet."
Elisabeth Egan,The New York Times Book Review

Adelighta poignant, late-summer-afternoon kind of novel. ...a story perfectly tuned to our ongoing fascination with the Kennedy marriage and a novel, like Jackie herself, with charm to spare.
The Washington Post

Lem Billings was John F. Kennedys prep school roommate and a close friend. He was also gay. This captivating work of historical fiction offers an intimate look into Lems relationships with the charismatic young senator and the budding journalist Jacqueline Bouvier, whom JFK enlists Lem to vet.
People (Book of the Week)

The charms of Bayards delightful new novel about Jackie Kennedy arent only found in its historical context but also in its intelligent, witty tone and poignant dissection of friendship, class and betrayal. The outcome is surprisingly affecting, and Bayards gamble of embarking on a well-known path from an unusual perspective pays off handsomely.
Connie Ogle, Minneapolis Star-Tribune

Narrator Lem is reminiscent of The Great Gatsbys Nick Carraway Jackie, shes pure delight Romance with bite: the perfect escapism for todays anxious times.
Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

Here he brings a poignant empathy, persuasive intimacy, and nuanced imagination to his interpretation of a relatively unexamined chapter in Kennedy lore.
Booklist (starred review)

Bayard (Courting Mr. Lincoln) offers an enchanting narrative of John F. Kennedy Jr. and Jacqueline Bouvierdelightfully dishy Bayard suffuses the spritzy story with wit, charm, and depth. The result is tailor-made for fans of Camelot drama.
Publishers Weekly

"All of Louis Bayards incredible gifts as a teller of stories we think we already know are on brilliant display here: a captivating setting, unforgettable characters, and an entirely surprising take on a familiar tale.Jackie Meis riveting, funny, charming, and haunting.He makes it look so easy! I will happily follow Bayard wherever he leads."
Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney,NewYork Times bestselling author ofThe NestandGood Company

"A loving and romantic look at an unlikely friendship told with a playful command of language that feels as effortless as it is exciting. Bayard possesses a singular wit and deftly uses it to give fresh insight into even his best known characters. I never wanted it to end."
Steven Rowley, author ofThe EditorandThe Guncle

"I absolutely adore this novel!Its a testament to Louis Bayards remarkable gifts as storyteller how suspensefulitis given that we already know this story or do we Full of Bayards trademark charm and wit, with prose that sings and a perfect voice,Jackie Medelighted me from beginning to end."
Angie Kim, author ofMiracle Creek

"We all dream of novels as good as this one: Fascinating, funny, gorgeous, heartbreaking. In my next life I want to be Louis Bayard."
Julia Claiborne Johnson, author ofBe Frank With MeandBetter Luck Next Time

A startling rendering of Jackie Kennedys life written with panache and daring.
Laurence Leamer, bestselling author ofThe Kennedy WomenandCapote's Women

"It's hard to combine wit and tender-heartedness in a single book, but Louis Bayard has produced a lovely amalgam inJackie and Me. This latest subtly crafted addition to his oeuvre boasts a top-notch structure and the best-ever depiction of 'Papa Joe' Kennedy, as well as a portrait of Janet Auchincloss, Jackies mother, that is poisonous perfection."
Thomas Mallon, author ofHenry and ClaraandWatergate


Praise for Courting Mr. Lincoln:

An exquisite historical reimagining of a love acknowledgedand a longing denied.
People

Bayard has written eight other novels, and hes extraordinarily gifted at blending provocative fiction with history. The details of [Mary Todd and Lincolns] courtship are lovely to read, but Lincolns time with Speed is much more riveting. At books end, whos courting Lincoln remains an enticing mystery.
TheWashington Post

Bayard's masterful command of language enchants and thrills; his meticulous, almost otherworldly, understanding of his historical subject awes and inspires . . .Courting Mr. Lincolnis Bayard at his absolute best. He offers more reasons to love one of the most admired presidents in U.S. history and proves yet again why he himself is one of the nation's greatest literary gems.
Shelf Awareness

Thoroughly researched and thrillingly plotted . . . Filled with rich historical detail and compulsively readable,Courting Mr. Lincolnis a story of a best friend, a future wife, and the political legend that they came together to create, each leaving an indelible mark on the man that would one day become president. Fans of historical fiction will be up late into the night to uncover the next chapter of this fascinating time in history.
New York Journal of Books

Praise for Louis Bayards Previous Work:

A tour de force.
Publishers Weekly

Brilliantly plotted and completely absorbing.
Sunday Times (London)

Shimmering, knock-your-socks-off language.
Entertainment Weekly

Bayard reinvigorates historical fiction, rendering the past as if hed witnessed it firsthand.
The New York Times

"Captivating . . . the novel offers a fascinating glimpse into the lives of these iconic figures"HillRag
"What a pleasure . . . Bayard is such an exuberant storyteller . . . This stylish, sexy, nostalgic story will linger like Jackies signature scent of Pall Malls and Chateau Krigler 12. Its a complicated bouquet of bitter and sweet."Elisabeth Egan, The New York Times Book Review
A delighta poignant, late-summer-afternoon kind of novel. ...a story perfectly tuned to our ongoing fascination with the Kennedy marriage and a novel, like Jackie herself, with charm to spare.The Washington Post
Lem Billings was John F. Kennedys prep school roommate and a close friend. He was also gay. This captivating work of historical fiction offers an intimate look into Lems relationships with the charismatic young senator and the budding journalist Jacqueline Bouvier, whom JFK enlists Lem to vet.People (Book of the Week)
The charms of Bayards delightful new novel about Jackie Kennedy arent only found in its historical context but also in its intelligent, witty tone and poignant dissection of friendship, class and betrayal. The outcome is surprisingly affecting, and Bayards gamble of embarking on a well-known path from an unusual perspective pays off handsomely.Connie Ogle, Minneapolis Star-Tribune
Narrator Lem is reminiscent of The Great Gatsbys Nick Carraway Jackie, shes pure delight Romance with bite: the perfect escapism for todays anxious times.Kirkus Reviews, starred review
Here he brings a poignant empathy, persuasive intimacy, and nuanced imagination to his interpretation of a relatively unexamined chapter in Kennedy lore.Booklist, starred review
Bayard (Courting Mr. Lincoln) offers an enchanting narrative of John F. Kennedy Jr. and Jacqueline Bouvierdelightfully dishy Bayard suffuses the spritzy story with wit, charm, and depth. The result is tailor-made for fans of Camelot drama.Publishers Weekly
"All of Louis Bayards incredible gifts as a teller of stories we think we already know are on brilliant display here: a captivating setting, unforgettable characters, and an entirely surprising take on a familiar tale. Jackie Me is riveting, funny, charming, and haunting. He makes it look so easy! I will happily follow Bayard wherever he leads."Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney,NewYork Times bestselling author ofThe NestandGood Company
"A loving and romantic look at an unlikely friendship told with a playful command of language that feels as effortless as it is exciting. Bayard possesses a singular wit and deftly uses it to give fresh insight into even his best known characters. I never wanted it to end."Steven Rowley, author ofThe EditorandThe Guncle
"I absolutely adore this novel! Its a testament to Louis Bayards remarkable gifts as storyteller how suspenseful it is given that we already know this story or do we Full of Bayards trademark charm and wit, with prose that sings and a perfect voice, Jackie Me delighted me from beginning to end."Angie Kim, author ofMiracle Creek
"We all dream of novels as good as this one: Fascinating, funny, gorgeous, heartbreaking. In my next life I want to be Louis Bayard."Julia Claiborne Johnson, author ofBe Frank With MeandBetter Luck Next Time
A startling rendering of Jackie Kennedys life written with panache and daring.Laurence Leamer, bestselling author ofThe Kennedy WomenandCapote's Women
"It's hard to combine wit and tender-heartedness in a single book, but Louis Bayard has

Author Bio

Louis Bayard is a New York Times Notable Book author and has been shortlistedfor both the Edgar and Dagger awards for his historical thrillers, which include The Pale Blue Eye and Mr. Timothy. His most recent novel was the critically acclaimed Courting Mr. Lincoln. He lives in Washington, DC, and teaches at George Washington University. Visit him online atwww.louisbayard.com.