What an interesting 1949 advertising campaign. Miss Subway contest. A delightful read about two women, Charlotte in 1949 and another in 2018 Olivia. Fascinating story of ambition, love and friendship. A great historical fiction read.

A dual narrative featuring two strong minded women trying to navigate the male dominated sphere of advertising in 1949/2018. I found this book really difficult to put down and so I didn't. I found the little known story of the Miss Subways contest to be very intriguing and I felt that both timelines were strong enough to not detract from the other. A great summer read!

I really liked this book, The writing was well done and the story was very interesting. Definitely interested in reading future books of this author.

This is the story of 2 women, Charlotte and Olivia, two generations apart, who lives have an interesting connection to the subway. Charlotte lives in 1949 and must work in her family business, but enters the Miss Subway contest. Olivia is from the current time and works in advertising and is working on the campaign for the Subway. This is how their lives intertwine and the story of each. This is a great read.

I loved this book! Learned so much - fascinating and well-done historical fiction. Dual timelines (enjoy this structure) and I imagined riding those subways in the 1920s.

I enjoyed this book. Using historical information from a 1930’s NYC subway advertising campaign the story line wove lives together joining history and modern day life. An underlying theme throughout the book was the role of women in the workplace. There are some topics that transcend time and societal roles. #historicalfiction #romance #subwaygirls #goodreads #amazon

I loved Charlotte's story but struggled to like anything about Olivia. I appreciated how the stories crossed and the resolution but Olivia was just a hard to root for protagonist. I think if she had been a bit more likable, this would have been a five star read!

This is a lovely story of two women from different eras who lives intersect. In 1949 Charlotte dreamed of working in advertising and thought her dream would become a reality until her father insists she work with him in the family business. 70 years later Olivia finds herself in a similar situation, trying to save a failing career in advertising. Both struggle, both seek success and both encounter disaster and heartbreak along the way. It was an easy, yet enjoyable read. I think it's going to be popular.

Such a great novel! You are completely immersed in the time period and lives of the main characters. You can’t help but to root for them and feel all of their emotions over the course of the story.

I love when I read a book and I learn something new and in the case of The Subway Girls it's that there were beauty contests bringing local young women into the limelight while also advertising the subway system.which having ridden the NY subways, I can completely understand while there needs to be an advertising campaign to show the "virtues" of the system LOL.

I adored this story so much. The flipping back and forth between 1947 and modern day was a true delight. I love the historical part of the story and seeing life in the 40's as compared to life in 2017. Charlotte and Olivia have a special affinity with each other even if they're across generations and when they meet it's just the icing on the cake!

Ms. Schnall did a fabulous job with writing a story that was engaging, enthralling and a joy to read. I could feel Charlotte's frustration and disappointment with her father's edict and Olivia's desperation to create the perfect ad campaign for the MTA. This story is the perfect melding of two women's stories!

Riding on the NY City subway is 2nd nature to a resident - reading this tale of NY comes just as easily to anyone who picks it up. It’s classic Big Apple and all the wonders the place holds - characters, conversation and coincidence. It’s a winner!

Loved this book! I liked the back-and-forth between past and present and how the two stories connected and enjoyed learning about the Subway Girls. A beautifully written story.

Great read! A lot of heart and just the right amount of feels.. I really enjoyed it. I love reading about the 1940s and the tie into modern times as well done. Definitely recommend.

A book that lets you escape and transports you to another time while teaching you about a forgotten event

This book was actually a very sweet story about two lives with an age difference intertwining and a look into sexism in the early forties. The NYC subway system had a  contest that would lure people to use the subways, and it incorporated using local young women.

Charlotte wants so badly to work for an advertising agency to get away from her father.  She is dating a wonderful young man named Sam and has dreams of working as an account executive, or at the very least, getting into a typing pool somewhere.  Rejection after rejection occurs, and she is desperate.  She signs up for the Subway Girls promotion in an effort to bring promotion to her dad's store, and ends up in a room with hundreds of girls vying for the same spot.

A lot of things happen, so I don't want to go further into detail, but as a young woman who is looking to make something of herself, there is much to be determined and thought over, and much of it will change her life forever.

Now fast forward to TODAY and you'll meet Olivia, an actual employee working at an advertising agency who has to come up with an idea to save the company, essentially.  She inadvertently meets a previous Subway girl from the 1940s and develops a relationship with her.  And so much happens, so I won't spoil it.

This is an interesting possibility, considering the contest was an actual subway contest given by the MTA. However, this is a fiction story with a great outcome and a lot that was overcome.  I did enjoy reading it.  Pick up a copy today!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through St. Martin's Press and NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own and I appreciate the opportunity to receive an advanced reader copy to do so. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

In classic historical fiction fashion this story follows two storylines, one in 1949 and one in 2018. In both storylines we have strong female leads whose stories are brought together by The Subway Girls campaign from the 1940's and 50's that featured women in advertisements for the New York City MTA. I really loved both storylines, the love stories, the history, all of it. This is a book I was pleasantly surprised by! I highly recommend it! This book reminded me of the historical fiction work of Fiona Davis - I've loved ALL of her books so if you are looking for similar reads definitely add her books to your to-be-read list.

Such a beautiful illustration of the changing lives of women from Post WWII to modern day and the issues that have had to confront and how things have changed and stayed the same.

Beautiful novel set in the 1940’s. I felt like I was transported back in time. Very descriptive novel.

I am a big fan of historical fiction so I definitely wanted to give The Subway Girls a read. I had never heard of the Miss Subways contest so it was quite interesting to read about it. I enjoyed the way Charlotte and Olivia's stories intertwined. I found this book to be predictable but enjoyable.

The Miss Subways, were part of an actual MTA advertising campaign. The Subway Girls by Susie Orman Schnall builds a novel around this history. The story features two women, two times, and intersecting stories. Charlotte and Olivia's story are separated by time and change. In many ways, though, the choices that face them and the challenges placed in their way reflect the same reality that the gender gap has evolved but not gone away. It is the strength of these characters and the extrapolated vision of the women who became the Miss Subways that give this book its impact.

Read my complete review at http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2019/03/the-subway-girls.html

Reviewed for NetGalley.