Gable & Lombard: The Secrets They Kept for Love by Emma Strong is an emotionally turbulent dive into the secretive and scandal-ridden world of Old Hollywood. Strong imagines the private lives of legendary screen icons Carole Lombard and Clark Gable through prose and vivid period detail, weaving in historical figures like Jean Harlow and Paul Bern to create an engaging narrative. The story begins in the early 1930s, taking the reader into a Hollywood pulsing with ambition, glamour, and manipulation. Studio executives rule with unchecked power, while actors are subject to the whims of studio contracts and unspoken demands. Carole Lombard emerges as sharp, confident, and fiercely loyal, particularly to her troubled friend Jean Harlow, whose entanglement with MGM producer Paul Bern creates the book’s central emotional and dramatic conflict.

Emma Strong excels at immersing the reader in the emotional interior of her characters, particularly the women. Jean is both tragic and resilient, caught between her desperate desire for stability and the harsh realities of her fame. Her scenes are layered with vulnerability, making her sympathetic and compelling. Carole, by contrast, offers an intense moral center, acting as both friend and protector in an industry that often devalues women’s autonomy. Behind the glamour is a world full of manipulation, contractual bondage, and unspoken pain. Ultimately, the book is a tribute to friendship, resilience, and Hollywood’s golden façade. It offers a richly imagined recreation of a legendary love story while revealing the human costs that often lie behind the legend. This is a captivating read for fans of historical fiction and vintage Hollywood.

Hollywood in the Golden Age was not as glamorous as the outside world might have believed. In Emma Strong’s Gable & Lombard, two famous souls connect through a fairytale romance that appears to be blissful, full of secrets and passions only they can share. But it wasn’t always that way. There were sacrifices to be made, which were not as glamorous as beauty and money might suggest. Both Carole Lombard and Clark Gable had their unique charisma and beauty, but was it enough to sustain a lasting relationship? There were heart-wrenching moments full of jealousy and rage, moments when passion met fury, and, as Gable proclaimed, “Don’t be jealous of the money or fame, it wasn’t that glamorous.” And then there was the tragedy that took it all away with the entire world watching.

Emma Strong’s Gable & Lombard highlights the Golden Age of Hollywood. Taking the love story of two of the most vitally beautiful and passionate characters, Carole Lombard and Clark Gable, the author weaves a compelling romance that will have readers riveted to their seats to the very end. The narrative follows the two characters as they rise in their stardom and advance in their love affair. The characters are well developed and believable, and the author uses dialogue effectively to move the story forward and to further develop the action. The playful charm and seductive appeal of this powerful couple is highlighted by their irrefutable chemistry, which was watched intently by the media and the world beyond. This is an intensely compelling read.