From the New York Times bestsellingย author of The Dressmaker comes a blockbuster novel that takes you behind the scenes of the filming of Gone with the Wind, while turning the spotlight on the passionate romance between its dashing leading man, Clark Gable, and the blithe, free-spirited actress Carole Lombard.ย
When Julie Crawford leaves Fort Wayne, Indiana, for Hollywood, she never imagines sheโll cross paths with Carole Lombard, the dazzling actress fromJulieโs provincial Midwestern hometown. The young woman has dreams of becoming a screenwriter, but the only job Julieโs able to find is one in the studio publicity office of the notoriously demanding producerย David O. Selznick, who is busy burning through directors, writers, and money as he films Gone with the Wind.
ย ย ย Although tensions run high on the set, Julie finds she can step onto the back lot, take in the smell of smoky gunpowder and the soft rustle of hoop skirts, and feel the magical world of Gone with the Wind come to life. Julieโs access to real-life magic comes whenย Carole Lombard hires her as an assistant and invites her into the glamorous world Carole shares with Clark Gable, who is about to move into movie history as the dashing Rhett Butler.ย
ย ย ย Carole Lombard, happily profane and uninhibited,ย makes no secret of her relationship with Gable, whichย poses something of a problem for the studio because Gable is technically still marriedโand the last thing the film needs is more negative publicity. Julie is there to fend off the overly curious reporters, hoping to prevent details about the affair from slipping out. But she can barely keep up with her blond employer, let alone control what comes out of Caroleโs mouth, andโas their friendship growsโJulie soon finds she doesnโt want to. Carole, both wise and funny, becomes Julieโs model for breaking free of the past.
ย ย ย In the ever-widening scope of this story, Julie is given a front-row seat to not one but two of the greatest love affairs of all time: the undeniable on-screen chemistry between Scarlett and Rhett, and offscreen, the deepening love between Carole andย Clark. Yet beneath the shiny faรงade, things in Hollywood are never quite what they seem, and Julie mustย learn to balance her career aspirations and her own budding romance with the outsized personalities and overheated drama on set. Vivid, romantic, and filledย with Old Hollywood details, A Touch of Stardustย will entrance, surprise, and delight.