Hazel and Maxine meet during the USO tours in WW2. Once the war is over the girls go back to their lives. They meet again at The Chelsea Hotel in New York. The girls meet again at the hotel with other artists when McCarthyism rears its ugly head. It is a scary time in American history. This is a story of friendship and loyalty. I really enjoyed it. I received an advanced readers copy and all opinions are my own.

The Chelsea Girls has all the normal goodies - family drama, friendships and relationships but it also offers something very different. Telling the story of Hazel and Maxine in the McCarthy era makes this a must read. I haven’t read anything like it and really enjoyed reading about that time!

Spanning decades, The Chelsea Girls tells the story of Maxine and Hazel, two talented artists in New York City. Hazel and Maxine meet on a USO Tour during WWII and form a strong bond. Hazel finds herself back in New York after the war, hoping to make it as more than a serial understudy on Broadway. Maxine's star is rising and she follows it to New York, where she is ultimately cast as the lead in Hazel's debut play.

McCarthyism is running rampant in America, and Hazel comes under scrutiny. The Chelsea Girls is told from both Maxine and Hazel's perspective, over more than 20 years in show business.

The Chelsea Girls took me on a trip to 1950s NYC, and it was a thrilling ride! Theater, McCarythism, romance, Soviet spies, New York, this book had it all!
The Chelsea Girls tells the story of Hazel and Maxine who come to live in the Chelsea Hotel after WWII. They are working to put together the play that Hazel has written, but their production is soon plagued by threats from the FBI and other anti-communist groups on the hunt for Soviet spies. Hazel, like many others in the theater community, is blacklisted and her future as a playwright is put into jeopardy. This book was fascinating to read and kept me hooked until the end. Thanks so much to Netgalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book. It comes out in July and I definitely recommend checking it out!

Very interesting story of McCarthy blacklist. Fiona Davis has a great writing style, and the characters are fun. I'd recommend to anyone who likes historical fiction and New York.

Exceptional. No, better than exceptional.

I’m an OG fan of Fiona Davis, going all the way back to The Dollhouse, and have read and loved each of her novels. This meant I had very high standards for Chelsea Girls, and I’m pleased to say that Davis managed to exceed the high bar she set for herself with her previous work.

While I’ve always admired Davis’ sense of time and place, ability to create atmosphere, and deft hand at writing nuanced characters, she took all of those things to new heights in this book.

In Chelsea Girls, Davis took on what you might call a more serious and certainly more political issue than she has in her previous novels: McCarthyism and the Red Scare.

Set against the post-WWII backdrop of fearmongering and paranoia in the United States, Davis gives us a wrenching, terrifying account of how this scary brand of groupthink ruined the lives and livelihoods of countless innocents in the entertainment industry.

Hazel and Maxine, our two female leads, both present heartbreaking portraits of what happens to a country at war with itself. It’s frightening to think of how relevant that is in today’s America, and what that might mean for those who are often maligned by the current government.

Larger themes aside, the plot is a home run even in the smaller sense: As a portrait of the times in New York and on the Great White Way in the theater industry. It also has a fantastic, almost thriller-style twist (not usually Davis’ bailiwick) around the halfway point of the book that I didn’t see coming.

Additionally, it’s been interesting to ruminate on the fact that while Hazel is clearly the true protagonist of the story, it’s Maxine who we hear from in first person, while we get Hazel’s account in third person. It’s tough to comment further on why this might be without risking exposing something spoiler-y, but it’s some good food for thought after finishing the book.

In all, this wonderful, heartbreaking, and powerful story was everything I’ve come to expect from Davis, yet somehow even better than I would have anticipated.

You spoil us, Fiona. Keep ‘em coming.

Since I first discovered books by Fiona Davis during the summer of 2018, I have become one of her biggest fans. Not only are her storylines and characters compelling, I love the way she uses New York City’s historical landmarks/architecture as characters. It adds a layer of complexity that I adore.

Davis hits another one out of the ballpark with her fourth novel, “The Chelsea Girls.” Hazel and Maxine meet in 1945 while they are schlepping through Europe as part of a touring USO band of actresses, performing skits and plays for weary soldiers.

After the war, the girls go their separate ways: Hazel to New York and Maxine to Los Angeles. Hazel gets room at The Chelsea Hotel, a haven for budding actresses, musicians, poets, and other artists. She feels at home among the quirky residents. Hazel makes the rounds, desperate to land a role. She gets a few small gigs, but it’s the typewriter and the play she started during the war that are her siren. Five years after the war ended, “Wartime Sonata,” Hazel has finished her manuscript and is ready to take it to Broadway.

Meanwhile over in Los Angeles, Maxine has become a true movie star. Readers don’t see Maxine in California, but we get to hear about her life when she comes to New York, looking for her old friend. She is running from an abusive relationship and Senator Joseph McCarthy’s Red Scare. Although the two have drifted apart, they quickly pick up where they left off.

Against the mount of Hazel’s play and Maxine’s troubled relationship, there is The Chelsea Hotel. Fascinating characters inhabit this grand building, where anyone can follow their heart.

When McCarthy is finished with Hollywood, he turns his eye toward Broadway. He is determined to rid the U. C. of any communist activity. Called before his committee, will Hazel cave and name names? Will Maxine give in to the pressure?

What a ride! I think this is Davis’s work yet, and I’m eagerly awaiting her next novel. I hope she writes fast! I give “The Chelsea Girls” 6 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.

It's no huge surprise that I'm enjoying this title immensely as I've really like the previous books I've read by Fiona Davis. She's awesome!

A lively historical novel set at the famous Chelsea hotel. Two young women arrive at the hotel in the 1940s, intent on Broadway success. Well-written novel, great story, good characters.

The Chelsea Girls by Fiona Davis offers a glimpse into the world of New York theatre in the 1950s, amid McCarthyism. The novel follows a friendship formed in wartime between two actresses — their careers, their life at the Chelsea Hotel, their challenges, and their fears as allegations are brought against many artists. Davis used a dual perspective, easily weaving back and forth between the two girls, Hazel and Maxine. The backdrop is the Chelsea Hotel, a haven for actors, artists, and writers — targeted by the House of Un-American Activities. Fiona Davis, in her usual style, provides precise details to bring the building to life.
This was a compelling read, especially as the horror of the accusations builds with little or no evidence, and the truth has no weight. A dark period of our history— and choices must be made: stand amid the fear, or cooperate. Based on actual people and events.
I love Fiona Davis’ books. She writes about famous buildings, focusing on the history and the people who would have lived at that time period. And this one was a great read — highly recommended. I received this book from NetGalley for an honest review.

Hazel Ripley left her unfulfilling career as a constant understudy to join the USO Tour during World War II. Her new job takes her to the Old World where she meets Maxine Mead, a vivacious and outspoken actress. The two women bond over their love of theater and mutual formative experiences in Italy.

Their friendship endures beyond their stint abroad; the two cross paths again at the iconic Chelsea Hotel - a haven for artists and creators - in the 1950s. Hazel catches a break as a playwright, and Maxine returns as a Hollywood starlet. But as the era of McCarthyism and blacklisting of the entertainment industry develops, Hazel and Maxine find themselves caught in the cross-fire. As the pressure builds, Hazel and Maxine face life-changing decisions about loyalty, morality, and freedom, all of which unfold before the Victorian facade of the Chelsea Hotel. Will the hunt for communists break these women apart?

Fiona Davis, the bestselling author of The Dollhouse, The Address, and The Masterpiece, crafts another exciting narrative rich in historical detail and unexpected twists. The Chelsea Girls shines a light on the glamour of the theater world and the power of standing up for creative freedom. This is a perfect read for lovers of historical fiction, theater, and New York City.

I love Fiona Davis’ books, and this one incorporates all that historical fiction should be, leaving us lessons to learn for today. Maxine and Hazel meet at the end of World War II while entertaining troops. A friendship is formed, which will be tested over time, particularly as the McCarthy era challenges loyalties in film and Broadway. A must read.

I can't believe this is my first Fiona Davis book. I have been missing out. The book starts out in Naples, Italy when Hazel Ripley joins a USO tour. I started reading this book while coming home from a trip with the local USO in Naples, Italy. Imagine my surprise to be driving down the same streets as our main character. The story doesn't stay in Naples long, but it was more than enough to suck me in.

The book is a story of love, friendship and espionage. It keeps you constantly wondering who's on what side, who to trust, what to think. Davis writes with so much emotion and detail, it was easy to picture exactly what she portrayed.

I loved this book and can't wait to read more from Davis

I love all of Fiona Davis’ books, and this one did not disappoint! She once again brings a New York City landmark to life, this time the Chelsea Hotel. Really enjoyed reading this !

A very interesting story that starts in World War II, runs through the Mcarthy era during the Red Scare, and winds up during the 60's. Hazel is a playwright and Maxine is an actress and the bond they form during a USO tour in Europe is at the heart of this story. Betrayal, love, and the theater are all front and center in this book but the real story is about friendship.

Hazel and Maxine meet during WWII as USO girls. Maxine tells Hazel about her time living at the Chelsea Hotel, a place where New York's creative minds live. Once back in the states, Hazel moves to the Chelsea. An aspiring playwright, Hazel finds herself inspired by her surroundings. When her play is chosen to be produced, Maxine flits back onto the scene, taking the starring role in the play. At the same time, Joseph McCarthy and his cohorts begin targeting the artists of New York City.

I don't want to give any of the book's secrets away. That being said, I didn't find Maxine to be a very believable character. She seemed a bit stereotypical and predictable. The plot seemed well paced, and the Chelsea Hotel was an interesting setting, but overall the story was lacking. Overall, 3 out of 5 stars.

The theater and film stars of New York and a bit of Hollywood are the focus of the latest historical New York City novel by Fiona Davis. In 1947 the threat of communism was sweeping the country and the largest focus was on the artistic areas. No writer, playwright, screenwriter, painter or actor was safe from the famed Black List. For the artists who live at the Chelsea Hotel in New York ending up on that list would mean life or death to the only world they knew. Hazel and Maxzine got their start doing USO shows in Europe at the end of the war and then made the natural jump after the war to the theater life in New York. We follow their emotional journey navigating love, careers in entertainment and having their every move suspect and every conversation scrutinized. Brilliant characters and a heartfelt storyline make for another emotional historical masterpiece by the author that knows every nook and cranny in New York. My thanks to the publisher for the advance copy.

This is an important book about a part of our nation’s history that is not often discussed. The author did a great job highlighting the devastation of lives caused by the red scare. Careers derailed, friendships and loves lost as well as lives taken are some of the effects of this paranoia. Fiona Davis has another winner on her hands! #netgalley #thechelseagirls

I absolutely LOVED this book! Fiona Davis is a fantastic storyteller weaving historical fiction into heart wrenching novels! This story is about love, deceit and the meaning of forgiveness and enduring friendship.

Set in the Chelsea Hotel during the 1940's through the 1960's, Fiona Davis has again captured the beauty and history of another New York landmark.
Hazel & Maxine met in Naples during a USO tour for troups during WWII. The girls bonded over their shared experiences but lose touch when Hazel returns to New York and Maxine heads for Hollywood.
After a falling out with her mother, Hazel goes to stay at the Chelsea and life will never be the same for either her or Maxine. Hazel begins to write a play about her experiences during the war and through some contacts at the Chelsea, a producer agrees to stage the show. Maxine suddenly reappears in Hazel's life as she wants to appear in the starring role in the play.
Unfortunately, the Red Scare has hit the entertainment industry hard and Hazel is named as a communist. What will this mean for her play, her friends and her livelihood?
This was an incredible look into a time period that isn't covered much in historical fiction. The book draws you right in and keeps you reading especially with an unexpected twist in the middle of the book. I highly recommend it!