I've become a huge fan of historical fiction the past couple of years and The Subway Girls did not disappoint! This was a beautifully written, compelling story. The Subway Girls features past and present timelines. In 1949, we have Charlotte. Charlotte is attempting to break out of the stereotypical female mold and break into the advertising world. Charlotte is attempting to become one of the glamorous Subway Girls to gain traction in her endeavor and get her out of working in the family business. This was a part of history that was new to me and I loved learning about it! The Subway Girls was an ad campaign in the 1940's that featured beautiful, glamorous posters of girls as the featured Subways Girl of the month. Becoming a Subways Girl was considered a badge of honor and fame during that time. In the present timeline, we have Olivia. Olivia currently works in advertising and is attempting to save her career and company. While doing research to pitch ideas to the NYC Subways account, she stumbles across the Miss Subways Girl ad campaign. This was a beautifully written, interesting, and captivating read. With excellent character development, a little scandal, and the glamorous era of the 1940's, The Subway Girls was an excellent read. For me, this was ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 stars (rounded up from 4.5). Thank you @stmartinspress for this advance reader in exchange for my honest review.

The Subways Girls is a story about two young women, Charlotte in 1949 and Olivia in 2018.

Charlotte is a young, beautiful college student that longs for a career in advertising.  Charlotte is given the opportunity to become the monthly Subway Girl.  Each month a new girl has her picture  displayed in the New York Subway. Charlotte faces many struggles with her father and her boyfriend. Charlotte receives many job rejects, but she never lost her goal of working in advertising.   The closest she can hope for is a job in the typing pool.  Like many women in the 40's she is expected to give up her career and marry and raise a family.  
Olivia is a advertising executive in a small and struggling agency.  She has her share of problems with male colleague.  Her newest client is the New York Subway and creates an ad campaign to win a big account and save her job and the agency.  She learns about the Subway Girls from the 1940's to 1970's and wants to present a new ad using the past Subway Girls.

Author Susie Orman Schnall has written a feminist book.  It is lighthearted and entertaining.
Love the way the author crafted a book with two timelines and intertwined the two stories.

Thank you Netgalley and St.Martin Press the opportunity to read and review.  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Subway Girls is a book about women written by a woman, and this immediately catches my attention.

Authors that use more than one point of view, in this case, Schnall used two characters pov: Charlotte and Olivia, are brave because there's always a chance that the reader will get more attached to one of them, instead of both. That was what happened while I was reading it, and I decided to give this book 3.5 stars because, in my opinion, Charlotte's story was way more complex, original and thought-provoking than Olivia's.

I loved to see the dynamics between two or more female characters, those passages were nicely written, but the interactions with men in general, especially Olivia's romantic interests, just fell flat for me, they didn't have charisma and I didn't care much for them. 

The Subway Girls' contest in 1949 was so far, the most interesting thing about the book.

Anyway, I liked how everything ended, so I recommend this book if you are into female-centered dramas. 

Thanks to NetGalley for my copy for an honest review.

I am a bit torn by this book. On one hand, it is an interesting look back at New York City post WWII, as young women attempt to continue marching into the work force following WWII. In 1949, Charlotte wants a career before marriage, is attempting to complete a college degree, and is fighting to be chosen Miss Subways as part of an ad campaign that she believes could help save her father's business. At times, Charlotte is a feminist, and at other times she acquiesces to the rules of the day, making some statements about men and life which made me nauseous, but however made sense historically. However, the story of today (Olivia as an ad campaign exec, trying to win the business of the NYC subway system) is more problematic for me. She waffles between being a badass and being just a wimp; in love with her boss, it colors the story in a frustrating way for me, challenging her ability to be seen as competent employee and to deal with the blatant sexual harassment from another employee. An interesting read, but ultimately too predictable with a lack of characters I could truly cheer for and an abundance of cliched writing that just was not my style.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for the free review copy. All opinions are my own.
I devoured this book in one day. I found the Miss Subways competition so interesting. Before reading this, I had never heard of this competition, and I love it when I learn something new while reading great fiction. 
I really enjoyed how this story was just enough drama, but it was never too much, even though there was a bit going on. This book's main characters are both strong, courageous women, and I found their fears to be relatable. I liked that the pacing of the novel was just right, so they actually had time in the book to make decisions. Nothing in this novel felt rushed.

I absolutely adored this book! The story follows two women in New York City: Charlotte in the 1940’s and Olivia in current day.

Living with her controlling parents in Brooklyn, Charlotte is finishing college and hopes to land a job at an advertising agency. She dreams of being the first woman to climb her way out of the typing pool to become an account executive, but her aspirations go far beyond what gender roles allow in her time. Her goal seems impossible until she applies to be a model for the Miss Subway ad campaign, a choice that changes the direction of her life and her future forever.

In present day New York, Olivia works for a boutique advertising firm, has a crush on her boss, Matt, and has to deal with obnoxious comments from her misogynistic coworker, Thomas. While researching for a campaign pitch for the MTA, Olivia discovers the former Miss Subways campaign. Instantly captivated, she brainstorms ways to update this idea for the modern sensibility and highlight the lives of these women in a fresh and more empowering way.

Though the way the two women’s stories intersect is a bit coincidental, it didn’t bother me because Schnall’s writing is so smart, funny, and engrossing. I devoured this book in a few sittings and was riveted right up to the sweetly satisfying ending.

I wanted to like this book but it just wasn’t as good as the books it was compared to. Yes, the characters are somewhat intriguing and there were some twists that shook off the predictability... but otherwise it was lacking something.

4.5 stars and the only reason not 5 stars is that I didn't want the book to end. I want to hear more about Charlotte and Sam's story not to mention Olivia and Ben's. 

This is my first book by this author and it won't be my last. Any book that can get me to forgo sleep, is a good book. :-) I stayed up 90 minutes past my bedtime and hated to stop with only 45 minutes left. If I hadn't had work today, I would have not stopped last night. 

This was a great parallel story that intertwined and brought the stories together. I hope that there is a sequel so we can find out what happens to Olivia and Ben. Fingers crossed.

I received an ARC of this book. All thoughts & opinions are my own.

I loved this! I didn't know about this long ago ad campaign and it was just charming.  I loved the alternating stories and found both women so delightful.  Great for fans of Mad Men or anyone wanting to know more about NYC in the 1940s.  Thank you to Net Galley for the advance copy, I highly recommend this one!

I really enjoyed this book!  It's a dual timeline story that involves two different women, and the two timelines mesh together very well.  It was interesting learning about the Miss Subways promotion, an actual advertising campaign that used models to promote the New York City subway system that went on for many years.

Charlotte is a young woman in 1949 who sees her future differently than her father does.  She goes to college and has a longtime boyfriend, but she's always wanted to work in advertising.  Her father wants her to work in the family paint store in Brooklyn, and get married and settle down.  When Charlotte has the chance to audition for the Miss Subways promotion, she jumps at it hoping it might change her life.

Olivia is a young woman in 2018 who works for an advertising agency.  She needs a hot idea for her next pitch and discovers the Miss Subway archives, and decides to bring in into the modern era.  When she starts researching the actual Miss Subway models, her life, and Charlotte's, meet unexpectedly.

I highly recommend this book.  Thanks to St. Martin's Griffin and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Two women, worlds apart yet facing many of the same obstacles. Charlotte in 1949 and Olivia in 2018. This book perfectly encompassed the fact that while women’s rights and gender inequality have improved significantly…. we still have mountains to move.  

Charlotte is 21 and about to graduate from college. She dreams of being in advertising but settles for applying for typing pool positions. She has a loving boyfriend and lives at home with her parents. Her friends convince her to apply for the Miss Subway contest and when she is selected as a finalist the contest changes her life in unexpected ways.

Olivia works in a small and struggling advertising agency. At work, Olivia competes against her rival Thomas, another account executive and has a crush on her boss. The advertising agency is desperate to land an ad campaign for the NYC Metropolitan Transit Authority so Olivia must prepare a winning idea to defeat Thomas. While preparing a pitch for the NYC Metropolitan Transit Authority Olivia learns about the former Miss Subway contest.

My favorite thing about this story was the Miss Subways contest and finding out at the end of the book that it was a real thing. I loved the parallel plot lines following two likeable female characters and discovering all of the similarities and differences between them. I found the plot to be predictable but finished the novel because I was interested in seeing how it would end. I also found many things in the book to be contrived… the gay best friend, the date with Jack, and Mrs. Glasser.

I loved the idea of the book, but was ultimately let down by the predictable plot.

I’m a sucker for a good historical fiction novel, especially one that connects the past and present and ties it all up in a neat little bow.   The Subway Girls did not disappoint.   I particularly liked the juxtaposition of Charlotte and Olivia.   They were so similar, yet their circumstances were so different.   This was a very enjoyable read.   

Many thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the ARC.

I'm always a sucker for plot lines that flash between the past and present, and The Subway Girls was no exception. Perfect for fans of Lauren Willig or Beatriz Williams!

This was a wonderfully engaging, quick read that I devoured in two sittings. Once I got about 3 pages in, I was totally hooked on the story. It gave me the same type of vibes as The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, so I was all in. 

I almost never have a problem with books that have “too much coincidence” or are otherwise unrealistic/too easy. So while I noticed the “easy” set up of linking the two characters, it didn’t bother me. I am willing to suspend reality for a good story. 

The main characters, Charlotte and Olivia, were a nice juxtaposition to drive home the message that women’s struggles and issues haven’t changed as much as we may like to think in the last 70 years. The alternating time period storytelling was a nice way to illustrate this point. It would have been nice to see the side characters developed as fully. It would have added a lot of depth to the story. 

Depth was my biggest disappointment with the book. The premise and themes were so interesting that I would have liked to see even more. There were many life details  that were discussed briefly (with friends, upbringing, etc.) that were barely mentioned again or mentioned only briefly. While this book was a wonderful read, more detail about the characters and the goings-on of their lives would have taken it to a whole other level. 

Thank you to Netgalley for sending me an eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I am reading an ARC of this book. It has a great story line but I feel as if I am reading two distinctly different books. I'm trying to stick with it and will write a more complete review once done. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

The Subway Girls is the story of Charlotte and Olivia told in alternating timelines. Charlotte’s story is based in 1949 when she was selected as a finalist for Miss Subways. Olivia’s story is based in the present, where she is an advertising executive hoping to land a big ad campaign. This is the captivating story of how Charlotte and Olivia’s lives intersect. I found it very interesting that the struggles of Charlotte’s life in 1949 closely reflect the struggles of life today. 

Ben: “You look at these older women and you just assume it’s all sweetness and wisdom, but, man, these ladies have secrets. Deep, dark, secrets.”

I couldn’t put this book down and read it in one day. This is the first book I’ve read from author, Susie Orman Schnall; I look forward to reading her backlist and future books.

I would highly recommend this book for fans of Beatriz Williams.

Thank you St. Martin's Press for the advanced copy of this book.

Subway Girls had the potential to be a really great book!  The story and concept of the "Miss Subways" from the 1940's-1960's was new to me.  I googled it to see if they really did exist and they did.  
The writing and storyline did not do Subway Girls justice.  Charlotte, Jojo, Sam & Rose were interesting and I liked them best.  Other characters were shallow or too cliche' to feel real--and some were just ridiculous (Thomas). Most of the story seemed unrealistic and unbelievable.  From the time Olivia is introduced, the execution falls short and the story loses credibility.  There are choppy transitions with abrupt changes in the setting and time between paragraphs.  I had to stop and re-read to determine where the story had jumped to.  Some things were rushed and happened quickly while others were drawn out and even dropped with no conclusion.
Overall, this was an enjoyable read and an interesting story but I the writing and characters need work.
Advanced reader copy courtesy of the publishers at NetGalley for review.

I was captivated by this book from the first few pages.  The story parallels two women, Charlotte whose story takes place in 1949 and Olivia's story in 2018.  Charlotte is getting read to graduate from college and is trying to get into advertising via getting into a typing pool at an advertising agency.  The family paint/wallpaper store is falling on hard times and her father wants her to work in the store.   Modern day Olivia is working for an advertising agency and is in love with her boss.  The story spans decades and is a combination of historical and contemporary fiction and what an enchanting delightful read it is with strong characters and a good story line.  I loved this book and highly recommend it.

This was a fantastic story, one of empowerment and female identity, told from two perspectives over 50 years apart. The reader easily is pulled into the late 1940s as Charlotte struggles to lay claim to her dreams, while 2018 Olivia struggles with the confidence to follow hers. Some twists-and-turns, romantic intrigue and a convergence create a feel-good ending. Based on a true advertising campaign for the NY subway system, the author weaves fiction with reality well. Overall, a quick read that really picks it up in the back half. Loved it!

This novel revolves around the true story of Miss Subways - real women that had posters up on the NY subways with blurbs about them.  The story alternated between the historical from the point of view of a finalist for Miss Subways and modern day from the POV of an ad exec that learns about the Miss Subways contest.

Reading about the contest was the best part of the book.  The beginning of the book really developed the characters, and I was pulling for all of them.  Unfortunately, the end seemed rushed, like a tv series that is suddenly cancelled so the writers throw everything into one last episode.  Having said that, the book is an easy read and had the closure I wanted.  I would recommend this book if you’re looking for something light and quick to take the edge off of a hard day.