Love and Ruin: A Novel

Paula McLain

May 2018 · Sold by Ballantine Books

About this ebook

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A powerful novel of the stormy marriage between Ernest Hemingway and Martha Gellhorn, a fiercely independent woman who became one of the greatest war correspondents of the twentieth century—from the author of The Paris Wife and When the Stars Go Dark

“Romance, infidelity, war—Paula McLain’s powerhouse novel has it all.”—Glamour

NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY The Washington Post • New York Public Library • Bloomberg • Real Simple

In 1937, twenty-eight-year-old Martha Gellhorn travels alone to Madrid to report on the atrocities of the Spanish Civil War and becomes drawn to the stories of ordinary people caught in the devastating conflict. It’s her chance to prove herself a worthy journalist in a field dominated by men. There she also finds herself unexpectedly—and unwillingly—falling in love with Ernest Hemingway, a man on his way to becoming a legend.

On the eve of World War II, and set against the turbulent backdrops of Madrid and Cuba, Martha and Ernest’s relationship and careers ignite. But when Ernest publishes the biggest literary success of his career, For Whom the Bell Tolls, they are no longer equals, and Martha must forge a path as her own woman and writer.

Heralded by Ann Patchett as “the new star of historical fiction,” Paula McLain brings Gellhorn’s story richly to life and captures her as a heroine for the ages: a woman who will risk absolutely everything to find her own voice.

Ratings and reviews

I must confess I started the Paris Wife by Paula McLain, but didn't finish it. After reading Love and Ruin, I need to go back and try it again. It was the content, not the writing that I had a problem with. There are some similarities in Paris Wife and Love And Ruin. They are both stories about Ernest Hemingway, his love life, infidelity, his marriage and again infidelity. Love and Ruin is the story of Hemingway and his third love and marriage to Martha Gellhorn. She became one of the greatest war correspondents of the twentieth century. Beginning when she met Ernest in late 1936, traveling to Madrid and later to the Spanish Civil war with him. She covered every war that broke out in her lifetime, until 1990's when her health began to give out. She wrote several novels, novellas and two short stories during her carrier. Two of her novels she wrote and published before meeting Hemingway. The detail in which Ms. McLain writes takes you on an unforgettable journey. She captures the subtleties of this complex relationship. Putting into words their deep emotions and volatile love affair. As Paula McLain wrote about Hemingway, it could be said of her. “a brilliant painter of people in his “her” work.” It was due to Paula”s excellent writing that I was able to rate this book so high. I received a copy of this book from Random House Ballantine Books through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own

I am voluntarily submitting my honest review after receiving an ARC of this ebook via NetGalley, After reading The Paris Wife and Circling the Sun, I had really high expectations and McLain did not disappoint with Love and Ruin. This novel, told from the point of view of Martha Gellhorn, Ernest Hemingway's third wife, chronicles their story together from the heady days of the Spanish Civil War through the devastation of World War II. Refreshingly honest, this novel is at times difficult to read as Marty details the "ruin" war wreaks on the people in the countries she is a journalist and writer in and that is mirrored by the destruction Hemingway famously inflicts on all the important women in his life. Out of all that pain and heartache, McLain uses stunning prose to craft a stunning narrative and beautiful novel that casts this illustrious couple in a light all their own. Scenes from this book will stay with me for some time to come, and I will never experience Hemingway's work in quite the same way again. This book is a must read for fans of historical fiction, Hemingway's writings and war correspondents.

About the author

Paula McLain is the New York Times bestselling author of the novels Love and Ruin, Circling the Sun, The Paris Wife, and A Ticket to Ride, the memoir Like Family: Growing Up in Other People’s Houses, and two collections of poetry. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, Good Housekeeping, O: The Oprah Magazine, Town & Country, The Guardian, The Huffington Post, and elsewhere. She lives in Ohio with her family.