Fairy Tale Interrupted: A Memoir of Life, Love, and Loss

I felt compelled to write this review given that I am also an Executive Assistant, working in London, UK albeit not quite on the same levels as RoseMarie. I absolutely loved this book and felt it to be a fascinating insight into not just RoseMarie's working life but also her upbringing as well, rising from the Bronx to working for the equivalent of America's Royal Family which is certainly how we saw the Kennedy's in the UK is no mean feat and is a result of her determination and hard work and is an inspiration to us all. So often EAs/PAs get accused of having affairs with our bosses because of the closeness of our working relationships but for the vast majority of us that is simply not the case. It is the most intense working relationship within any working environment and it has to be that way in order for us to do our jobs successfully. It is also a huge honour to be trusted at this level with someone's personal and professional lives and know that with the success our bosses enjoy that we have played a huge part in making that happen. Would George have got off the ground in the way it did without RoseMarie? It is very clear throughout this book how much JFK Jnr valued RoseMarie and also Carloyn as well. This is a huge compliment to any EA to be trusted at this level. Being an EA (if you get the right boss) is one of the most rewarding roles you can undertake. I chuckled to myself when RoseMarie had to put JFK Jnr in his place from time to time or took him to task over certain matters - that is part of the role but tough for any PA to be able to do that to someone like him but it is clear that it is exactly what he needed from her and actually really liked. If you are not tough in this role you will get eaten alive - the gatekeeping part we can all relate to and every Tom, Dick and Harry trying to get a meeting in or your boss to attend an event and RoseMarie had plenty of that to deal with. Now put yourself into her position when you hear the news that the people you are working for have tragically died? I can tell you now that for any EA this would be abosolutely devestating beyond belief (unless you have a bully boss). I know a few PAs here in the UK this has happened to and one was off work for a year grieving and in therapy. People forget about the aftermath for us when something like this happens and mutiply that by 10 times for RoseMarie with the press to deal with to boot. I absolutely commend her for the way she dealt with things and came through an even stronger woman that she already was. Thank you to RoseMarie for sharing more information on what JFK Jnr and Carolyn were like as people, it was so interesting to learn more about them as actual human beings. Their lives were intruded on so much, can you imagine if that had happened now with high profile figures not being able to go literally anywhere or do anything with it ending up on Twitter or Facebook. I know as their EA you will be the person that knew them the best so this book will be accurate believe me..

The book offers an unique perspective through a personal assistant's lens. The emotional transitions seem honest and can be easily related. But the writing of the book is a bit tedious and can be overly author centered at times. Generally speaking I enjoyed the book and glad that I spent the time.

I enjoyed this more than I expected. It is a quick superficial read. It is about the authors "fairy tale" of getting to work with John Kennedy and there is a bit of that Paul Burrell thing where the employee gets pulled in by the reflected glamour. However whilst she may overegg a little her part in it she is completely honest about the times she was bawled out etc. It is a balanced view. You appreciate what a big deal JFK was at that time and he comes across as a decent guy albeit maybe not the brightest. You also realise that the magazine JFK launched "George" was precarious The author conveys the feel of the initial euphoria of the magazine launch etc. followed by its subsequent struggles Yes it is the story from the pa's part but the are some great background stories as well about the Kennedys. The author also recognises that all her status as PA derived from who she worked for and after he died she struggled to find what to do next. Noone is besmirched by this book and one of the best books I have read on this topic as it gives you a sense of what JFK and his life was really like.

Right from the start Rosemarie encapsulated the essence of John F Kennedy Jnr - not eulogising him but showing you the other side of his personality! You felt like you knew that bit more about him and it was worth knowing! Sadly we will never know what he would have done with his life - but this book has allowed you to gain that bit more knowledge of his character and know that he is sadly missed and another reminder of the end of the Camelot" era! The book is well written by someone who spent the last five years with him sharing all aspects of his working life!!

This is not a tale of John and Carolyn Kennedy but the story of the author, being John's assitant (for 5 years). About 75% is about her own life, her friends and family; and how she climbed up into this coveted position. Impossible to distinguish what's pejorative in this sentimental egocentric recital... Most information is about "George", the bespoke politics-oriented magazine John was launching and its making off. We do learn more about John's character and habits mostly during his office time and a bit is said of Carolyn, which had become her friend and confidante ? Their couple life or if they were happy together is not approached. Only how often the couple was persecuted by the press and media and how this affected their relationship is accentuated. What's new here ? Zero details on the mystery wedding ? Carolyn's funeral is reduced to a footnote. Nothing on Lauren or on how her parents, whom lost 2 daughters, must have been disheartened. Not one element on the plane accident ? What really took place ? What happened to "Friday", the couple's beloved dog ?? We do learn that Caroline (John's sister) gave all of John's nice ties to his close friends and relatives as a keepsake. Tie up loose ends !

I'm really interested in knowing more about Carolyn Bessette, so this book was a must for me since its reléase date. It gives you a lot of personal anecdotes of RoseMarie with John&Carolyn, they are new anecdotes I've never read before about it in tabloids or in other books. So if you are interested in John and/or Carolyn, this is a must read.

This is a sad tale of jackie kennedys sons short life and his untimely death with his wife - it's detail around the life and circumstances leading to that tragic night and the family story.

well written, very detailed insight into a very private life, from someone that was there and on the inside. a must buy

I just finished this book and have tears in my eyes. Many of the feelings and observations RoseMarie has after the tragic deaths of John Jr. and Carolyn as well as Carolyn’s beloved sister, Lauren, are gut wrenching and unforgettable. Anyone who has experienced this level of grief will know exactly what she is talking about. They are intense and genuine and create a strong longing to have John Jr. and Carolyn back in the world again. I remember learning how to spell the word “berserk” as a kid because it was on a magazine cover he was on. He was ribboned throughout American culture. Always in some grainy footage as a child or plastered like wallpaper as an adult. I savored this book and slowly read it over several weeks because I knew how it ended and wanted to be ready when I got to that point. Like the sudden loss of a loved one, there’s nothing I could do to prepare myself for it. I was 15 when John’s plane crashed. I remember being a silly teen girl and wanting this handsome stranger to find a way for he and his beautiful lightning flash of wife and her sister to survive. There had to be a way. They’re somewhere on driftwood. The night wasn’t that dark. They had to survive. I didn’t participate in the outpouring of grief or doing that fanciful thing where when a celebrity dies, we pretend we loved them more than whoever we are talking to. Life went on. I quietly stayed curious continuing to read books on them and that is what led me to this one. Ms. Terenzio spent the first half of the novel holding back, spending a lot of time on the casual day to day banter and office shenanigans, all this while buried beneath the mounting ache. There were a lot of details in the beginning that I wouldn’t call necessary, but someone else might. I would never presume to know what she thought was trivial and what was essential. She wanted us to have a lot of context and background to work with and I appreciated it. In fact, many times while reading, I’d stop and look up the restaurants she wrote about to see if they were still standing. It gave me an opportunity to reminisce of the 90s and the glittery stomp of life before social media. The only criticism I have is that I wish that there had been more about RoseMarie’s life after his death. She skipped over 9/11 and life in New York City without John and Carolyn being hounded totems. What it was like to go on without them was rushed at times. She produced a play and there was only a page or two on the enormous achievement. There other parcels of information that could have been important, as well. Once she took the bandage off, her writing and expression elevated. Her emotions became more concrete and the rustlings of a comeback were clearer by the page. Her life after John is equally as important as her life before him and it would have been interesting to know more about her struggles breaking through, establishing herself, and re-establishing her loyalty to new people. As she said, nobody wanted to be the guy who came after John. Eventually someone did. Who was that person and why? What about them made them choose her to represent them? Was it because of her incredible skill at anticipating the needs of and protecting two of the most hunted people on the planet? I know that the book is about John Jr. & Carolyn during the last five years of his life and not necessarily about RoseMarie without them, but RoseMarie alone is worth her weight in gold. Other than that suggestion, I have no criticisms. John and Carolyn would be proud of her. She has continued to protect and celebrate their legacy. They’re still out there somewhere. Carolyn is still the immaculate and bright It Girl of every world while John is still the goofball prince downplaying how extraordinary his story really is.

This book is an excellent read, very well written and super interesting. It’s filled with information that has not previously been available to the public. Rose Marie fills this book with thoughtful remarks and personal messages that JFK Jr. wrote to her.

Ms Terenzio writes from the heart and you can feel it. Honest, sincere; a lovely tribute to two beautiful souls.

Der die Kennedys liebt, wird auch dieses Buch lieben. Die Autorin war die persönliche Assistentin von John jr. Kennedy und beschreibt ihren weg dorthin und wie ihr Alltag mit John und dessen Frau verlief bis zu deren tragischen Unfalltod. Es werden auch einige tränen beim lesen vergossen werden. Obwohl auf Englisch ist das Buch sehr verständlich geschrieben für einen nicht Native Speaker.

Ich fand es sehr spannend, mal eine andere Sichtweise auf Menschen wie JFK jr. und seine Frau zu bekommen und zwar von jemanden, der unmittelbar und täglich mit ihnen zusammen war. Interessant war auch, dass die perfekt erscheinende Welt meist nicht perfekt ist. Insgesamt ein interessantes und gut geschriebenes Buch.