I wasn't really sure what to expect of this book, I knew I loved the cover and title and the fact that it's loosely based on real events. The beginning of the story held my interest for the most part. I found the parent details pretty interesting. The gowns, the girls, Atlantic City, the guys....I could picture it all and that's due to the intricate detail of the author's writing. I enjoyed the flow and his style. I enjoyed getting to know the characters Betty and Griff in the beginning before the novel took a darker turn. I 'm not sure I bought into their instant romance after she didn't like him at all but I went with it. Ciji was probably my favorite character though. I found the second half of the book to be pretty good. Not predictable but also it didn't blow me away. Overall, just an ok read for me

I received an ARC of the novel from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

The Night She Won Miss America is a historical romance novel by Michael Callahan. It is set in the 1950s and there lives Betty Welch, a bright young woman who is looking for ways to impress her mother. Although she dreads it, she decides to enter the Miss Delaware contest to gain her mother’s approval. She never thought she would actually win, but unexpectedly she does. From there she is sent to Atlantic City to participate in the Miss America contest. When she gets to Atlantic City, Betty meets her best friend and more importantly meets her one true love. His name is Griffin McAllister, and he is Betty’s escort. Betty and Griffin cannot deny their feelings for one another but Griffin warns her that if she wins then they cannot be together. Just as Betty is announced as the one and only Miss America, she decides to run away from it all and be with Griffin instead. While Betty and Griffin go on their journey together they learn more about each other and more importantly, they learn more about themselves. Although it is a work of fiction, there are certain characteristics that are based off the time when Miss America ran away after her win in 1937.

The Night She Won Miss America is an impressive work that analyzes what it truly means to be in the public eye. I love that this book was able to spread many different messages, such as the fact that you cannot always trust your instincts, nor can you fully understand what it’s like to be in someone else’s shoes. I really like Betty, the protagonist, and how her shy ways slowly start to fade away when she meets Griffin. I think she is portrayed as an ordinary teenage girl but has a certain charm to her that makes her likable. Griffin is a complex character that makes you feel so many different things all at the same time. Griffin alone brought in a great psychological twist and I admire the way that mental illness is handled in the novel. Their relationship is addictive in the sense that once you start understanding it, you cannot get yourself to stop reading about it. The ending is a big mysterious twist which works well and honestly left me wanting more from the story.

Generally speaking, this novel brought out a whole lot of emotions for me. Some were good and some were bad but for me, I know a novel is good if it makes me question how I am feeling. I really enjoyed reading it and once I started I couldn’t bring myself to stop. Callahan is a great writer; he created a narrative that flows well and is fast paced. The pacing especially works well in this novel as it contains events that take you by surprise. Sometimes historical novels miss the mark when it comes to actually containing accurate facts but this novel is very accurate. I could tell that Callahan did his research and applied it well. There are some awesome details and imagery about the 50s that made the book much more interesting and easier to relate to. I suggest this novel to any pageants lovers, history buffs or people who are looking to read a good, action-packed story. This novel teaches you to live for yourself and not for someone else.

I had a hard time getting into this book. Since I did not finish it, I do not intend to publish a review.