The Chateau on Sunset
A Novel
-
- $14.99
Publisher Description
A sheltered young woman living at the Chateau Marmont falls under the spell of a scandalous, secretive man as all of Hollywood’s glamour swirls around her—a stunning feminist reimagining of Jane Eyre from the New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Seamstress.
“A clever, compelling midcentury Gothic . . . a can’t-miss read for the madwoman in all of us.”—Layne Fargo, bestselling author of The Favorites
In 1957, newly orphaned Aria Jones is sent to live with her aunt, a fading star who hides away in Hollywood’s infamous Chateau Marmont. There, two aspiring actresses, Calliope and Flitter, take the grieving Aria under their wing.
But the Marmont isn’t meant for small girls with big hearts, and Aria’s first few nights reveal an insidious secret that continues to haunt her as she grows up in the hotel’s halls, where the bright lights of Hollywood cast even darker shadows. If Aria can just stay invisible and invite no trouble as she saves money, then she can leave the Marmont and live life on her own terms—alone but free.
Her carefully laid plans fall apart when the hotel is bought by Theo Winchester, a reclusive rock star turned unexpected caretaker of his daughter, Adele, and unlike any man Aria has met before. To earn the last bit of money she needs to escape, Aria becomes Adele’s tutor, which brings Aria closer to Theo and ignites a passion she never expected.
Suddenly, Aria finds herself wondering if she still wants to remain invisible—and if inviting trouble is a risk she’s willing to take to pursue what she truly desires.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
The author of The Paris Seamstress trades wartime intrigue for Old Hollywood glamour in this story set inside Hollywood’s legendary Chateau Marmont. After losing her parents, teenage Aria is sent to live with her troubled movie star aunt at the infamous hotel, where fame, loneliness, addiction, and ambition swirl together behind closed doors. Left to raise herself among actors, musicians, aspiring starlets, and powerful men who expect too much, Aria sees the entertainment industry at its most dazzling and at its most exploitative. Natasha Lester balances the intense emotions of a classic coming-of-age novel with lush historical detail, bringing mid-century Los Angeles vividly to life through late nights in smoky hotel lounges, whispered scandals, and hard-won friendships. The Chateau itself becomes a character—equal parts sanctuary and trap for the people drifting through its halls. Rich with atmosphere and romance, The Chateau on Sunset is a moving story about identity, reinvention, and refusing to remain invisible.
