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It's 1956, and the two most famous women in the world are about to meet for the first and only time . . .

London, October, 1956. A glittering Royal Film Premiere. The whole world is watching . . .
Tonight, Elizabeth II will formally greet an array of stars. Though she was not born to be Queen, this young mother and wife has embraced her patriotic duty and its unforgiving demands.
A limousine pulls up. Out steps a vision in dazzling gold: Marilyn Monroe. A money-making machine for Hollywood, with curves that drive men wild and a smile that lets women know she’s in on the joke.
As the two most famous women in the world come face to face, they look to be worlds apart. Yet beneath the glamorous costumes, both are fighting to keep the men they love, while trying to do their work in a man’s world. And they have spent the summer of 1956 battling secret demons the public could never imagine.
Now, Marilyn steps forward. These photographs will be on the front page of every newspaper in the morning.
But this isn’t their first meeting. And the story behind the headlines is even more sensational . . .
Perfect for fans of American Wife, The Christie Affair and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, this stunning novel imagines the secret lives of two of the 20th century’s most famous women – set during a momentous summer that brought them face to face, and publishing 100 years after their births.
‘Bold, original and captivating. I loved it!’ Daisy Buchanan

‘Julie is a writer you can ALWAYS trust in the way she portrays women … they are believable, flawed, complex and fascinating' Georgina Moore

'Gorgeous, glamorous and moving' Anna Mazzola

'A vibrant imagining of the inner lives of two iconic women’ Charmaine Wilkerson

© Julie Owen Moylan 2026 (P) Penguin Audio 2026