The Chateau on Sunset - the glamour and dark side of Hollywood set at the Chateau Marmont.

The year is 1957. The Golden Age of Hollywood is nearing its end, yet the powerful studio system remains in control. The Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles is home to a studio head, writers, stars, and those who will do anything to become stars. Newly orphaned Aria Jones is sent there to live with her aunt, the legendary and now reclusive actress Miss Devine Ray. Two aspiring actresses, Calliope and Flitter, take Aria under their wing, and the three become as close as sisters. Aria soon uncovers the Chateau Marmont's darker side has a dark side and learns its secrets. When the story shifts to 1964, Aria meets the new owner of Chateau Marmont, Theo Winchester, a rockstar with legions of fans, who is raising a young girl named Adele. To help her aunt, who can no longer afford her room, Aria becomes Adele's tutor. Aria finds herself drawn to Theo while dreaming of a life beyond Chateau Marmont, a place that has been both a home and a prison for her over the past seven years. 

The Chateau on Sunset by Natasha Lester is an intriguing novel creatively reimagines Charlotte Brontë's classic Jane Eyre. This book is a departure for Lester, who is known for her historical fiction about daring, remarkable women during WWII and the post-war era. Set in the late 1950s and 1960s, this coming-of-age story effectively portrays how the studio heads exploited the young women who came to Hollywood with stars in their eyes. Fans of Hollywood tales will enjoy this one. 

Many thanks to Ballantine Books for the advance.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars.

Historical Fiction.

Publication Date: June 2, 2026.

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