Reading this biography felt like uncovering a secret dossier on one of history's most influential yet underrated women. The way Sonia Purnell reconstructs Pamela's wartime negotiations gave me chills - I could practically smell the cigar smoke in Churchill's war rooms.

What shocked me most wasn't just Pamela's political genius, but how she weaponized femininity in male-dominated spaces. The section where she single-handedly preserved the Anglo-American alliance during WWII's darkest days reads like a masterclass in diplomatic jiu-jitsu.

I'll admit - keeping track of the sprawling cast required occasional Wikipedia detours. But the payoff comes in breathtaking scenes like Pamela's midnight meeting with de Gaulle, where you realize this 'socialite' was actually conducting shadow diplomacy over champagne.

The book's greatest achievement? Making me mourn a woman who died before I was born. When describing Pamela's final days as Ambassador to France, Purnell had me tearing up over diplomatic cables - something I never thought possible.

Pro tip: Read this alongside 'A Woman of No Importance' for a devastating one-two punch about forgotten female power brokers. Just be prepared - you'll finish wanting to storm Capitol Hill in a Dior gown.