Glimmer As You Can is an uplifting story of friendship between 3 women from different walks of life set in the early ‘60’s. Danielle Martin has written a solid debut and I can wait to see what’s next!

I got this debut through NetGalley. In 1962, a dress shop owner and ex-wife of a councilman starts an after hours social club of women, who share their issues with work and men. A tragedy threatens the future of the club. I liked the insight into a different time where women were treated so wrong in their relationships and careers. It gives me hope that we have overcome some of the issues, but it also shows how much more work we have to do for gender equality.

I really enjoy historical fiction and this book was right up my alley. Dress shop by day, a social club by night. This book tackles not only the social aspects of the times but hard topics such as domestic abuse and women's right to fight for equality. The writing style was so enjoyable to read and I look forward to reading more from this author.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for a chance to review this book.

I feel like this book had a good premise - exploring women and relationships in the early 1960s - it just didn't work for me.

In the 1960s, in NYC, women were starting to find independence and tucked in a little out of the way spot, a boutique dress shop becomes a women's club at night and more than a club but a refuge for a menagerie of women. Following multiple women through this book, the reader gets a glimpse of the life and times of different women as they navigate the changing world of the 1960s.

Often when I read a book that takes place in this time period, I get the sense of women being divided and staying in their homes and not having a social life beyond their families. To read a book about an underground club and see real authentic women friendships of the time was so fun to read. I loved that these women lifted each other up and encouraged them to aim high in whatever each of them were trying to achieve and they had this home base that would take care of them through the highs and the lows.

Without a significant piece of history in this book, I didn't feel as though I learned a whole lot unlike when I read a book that has a significant historical event, but instead in this book, I got to zero in on the women of the time and the things they were experiencing. This historical fiction book was more about the characters of the time than the events of the time and that was an interesting change from my typical historical fiction reading.

This was a great debut and I hope for more from this author.

Love the time period and the location, 1960's Brooklyn, New York. Loved feeling what it was like for women as they were gaining their rights. Loved the characters and the development of all of their personalities and growth. Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy.

A lovely book loved the Brooklyn heights setting,I grew up in Brooklyn so I love books set there.1960s Brooklyn each woman comes alive each with their own story.A book Ibreally enjoyed.#netgalley#alcovebooks

In 1962 Brooklyn, women are beginning to enjoy the freedom afforded by careers, but many are still constrained by the belief that marriage should be their ultimate goal.

Lisa, a flight attendant for Pan Am, travels all over the world, but still thinks marriage to the good-looking jerk Billy will save her, even as she gets a glimpse of her future witnessing the behavior of his father. Elaine, a British ex-pat, has landed a well-off fiance, but his binge-drinking and periods of depression make her seek a job with her dream newspaper, which only serves to feed his demons.

Madeline, formerly married to a councilman, owns a dress shop, the Starlite, and has experienced both sides of the coin. Opening her shop in the evening as an informal women's club provides a refuge for women of the neighborhood.

When the lives of Lisa, Elaine, and Madeline intersect, so do the suspicions and prejudices of the men in their lives, with tragic results. An engaging story of women's friendships on the brink of major social change, GLIMMER AS YOU CAN also offers an evocative setting, both in time and place. #GlimmerAsYouCan #NetGalley

As one of my favorite authors would say "life's too short to read shitty books". I quit about 20% thru. I really tried but the plot and the writing were just not up to par in my opinion. There seemed to be a weird reliance on short disconnected sentences and transitions that just didn't seem to work. I kind of felt as if the author was writing about what she thought life was like in the 60's rather than actually researching what life was like in the 60's.

In a genre that is already overflowing, this one will be lost in the deluge. Thanks to NetGalley for providing an ARC for review.

A lovely book that swept me away to Brooklyn Heights in the 60's. The character development was well done and I enjoyed getting to know each one.

Glimmer as You Can is an excellent glimpse into what life was like for women back in 1960s Brooklyn. We have Lisa, who loves her life as a stewardess because she gets to travel and have the freedom and go on adventures. We see the sexism that comes with the job, as Lisa has to maintain a certain weight and she can only work for a limited time. She will either leave the job because she is too old or she gets married; not because she wants to quit. We can also see how the patriarchy controls Lisa as well because she wants to get married so that she doesn’t have to be forced out because she’s too old, and stays in a relationship with a total loser because of this.
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We also have Elaine, who is a total boss and gets a job as a fact-checker at a newspaper. She gets this job because she wants to work, but also so that she can support her fiancé, who’s an alcoholic. She has to tiptoe around the subject of her work because she doesn’t want to hurt his male ego, due to the fact that she’s the one supporting them. This was super frustrating!
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And then finally, our last character is Madeline, who owns a dress shop and turns the store into a club for women at night. I loved how she created this place where women could just be themselves, and not have to play a certain role in society while they were there. Madeline also has to deal with an abusive ex-husband, who couldn’t handle her success.
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Overall, this book showcases not only the struggles that women went through and still go through but the strength and resiliency of women in society!

Title: Glimmer As You Can
Author: Danielle Martin
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Welcome to the Starlite. Let your true self shine.

1962. In the middle of Brooklyn Heights sits the Starlite: boutique dress shop by day, underground women's club by night. Started by the shop's proprietor after her marriage crumbled, Madeline's social club soon becomes a safe haven for women from all walks of life looking for a respite from their troubled relationships and professional frustrations. These after-hour soirées soon bring two very different women into Madeline's life--Elaine, a British ex-pat struggling to save her relationship, and Lisa, a young stewardess whose plans for the future are suddenly upended--irrevocably changing all three women's lives in ways no one could have predicted.

But when Madeline's ne'er-do-well ex-husband shows up again, the luster of Starlite quickly dampens. As the sisterhood rallies around Madeline, tension begins to eat at the club. When an unspeakable tragedy befalls their sorority, one woman must decide whether to hide the truth from the group or jeopardize her own hopes and dreams.

This is a hard time period to read about: women’s rights are still a pipe dream and getting married and having a family should be all every woman wants. Except it’s not. The three main characters are very different, yet all three struggle with some of the same issues. The women’s club community was both fun to read about and also seemed a bit random.

I found this book to be disjointed in a lot of places. I can see what the author was trying to do, but this fell a bit short. I felt disconnected from these characters, and while I cared what happened, my connection to them was erratic enough that I wasn’t deeply invested in the read.

Danielle Martin is a teacher. Glimmer As You Can is her debut novel.

(Galley courtesy of Alcove Press in exchange for an honest review.)

(Blog link live 11/16.)

A beautiful work of women's historical fiction set in Brooklyn heights, 1962. 3 friends.. Lisa who is a flight attendant for Pan Am, Elaine who lives with her alcoholic fiance' who eventually drinks himself to death shortly after Elaine gets a job as a fact checker at The Chronicle. And Madeline, divorced from a city councilman, boutique owner & seamstress by day, organizer and host of a women's social club by night. 3 women trying to find their way and find themselves in a men's world. Three women trying to break free from the expectations of others so that they may "Glimmer" as they can.

Thanks to Alcove Press and Netgalley for an advanced copy of Glimmer As You Can.

Set in 1960s Brooklyn a group of women meet at the Starlite - a boutique dress shop during the day and a social club at night. It is a place for women to discuss their ambitions, societal obligations and creativity all while letting their hair down.

Madeline is the owner of the Starlite, Lisa is a stewardess for Pan-Am and Elaine is getting a job as a fact checker with the paper. The book revolves around these 3 women as they navigate their relationships, jobs and futures in a changing time.

I liked the premise of this a lot! I find the 1960s fascinating and wish there was more historical fiction during this time. This was a book of friendship, dreams and women finding their place in the world.

It’s 1962 and located in Brooklyn Heights is a dress shop called The Starlite which is owned by Madeline, a talented dress designer and ex wife of a local councilman. After hours, the shop becomes a club, a haven for women young and old looking for a true sisterhood. The women read poetry, dance, sing and escape their own worlds filled with restrictions. Within this diverse group of women, we get to know Elaine, who is living with her alcoholic fiancé and works as a fact checker for a newspaper. And Lisa, who works as a Pan-Am flight attendant and loves her job but views it as temporary as she has set her sights on getting engaged while overlooking her boyfriend Billy’s many faults.

The Starlite gives the women strength to look beyond the limitations society has bestowed upon them. When tragedy strikes, will their sisterhood hold them together?

The early 60s is an interesting time in history and author Danielle Martin does a good job creating the right feel for the period. While on the cusp of great societal changes, when this book takes place, women are still second class citizens. Most of the male characters in the book are either pathetic or horrible. You’ll root for the women while realizing how much times have truly changed.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Alcove Books and the author for an advance copy of Glimmer As You Can. I was born and raised in Brooklyn and this book offered a nice journey back in time to a place I know so well.

And isn’t that a great book cover?

After much thought. This book wasnt what i expected. I thought it was going to be about history, but its not really. Its just set in history. Set that kinda thru it off. I was looking forward to it being Historical fiction, its more historical romance actually. I gave it a 3 1/2 star. I wish i could've been better. Thanks for the arc for my honest review.

Glimmer - To shine faintly with a wavering light.

This is a story of women supporting each other and their friendships.

Elaine is an ex-pat from England living with her fiancé. He lives off his inheritance and drinks a lot. Lisa is a Pan-Am stewardess. She loves her job and traveling but knows that when she marries her boyfriend, Billy, she will have to leave. Madeline owns a boutique dress shop but at night it turns into a women's social club, the Starlight. Women can come and drink, dance and talk away from the men although I felt they were there for a good time but really not to reveal their lives outside of the Starlight. This is set in 1962 Brooklyn where women are still defined by the man they are married to and are supposed to be good homemakers. Madeline's ex is a city councilman and has treated Madeline badly. After her divorce she moved into her dress shop but he still terrorizes her.

The men were depicted as pretty despicable characters. I would have liked to see the women's characters more defined. I could feel the futility of trying to fight the men, accepting whatever they wanted. Lisa's mother depended on Lisa's money for groceries but it was never mentioned why they were so dependent on her. Elaine lives with her fiancé but she seemed the most independent having come to New York and working to be a reporter even though Tommy didn't want her to work at all. But what brought her and her sister to New York in the first place? Why was her mother so cold? Her sister, Catherine, was a small character, bunking with Elaine and Tommy but she was never explained as anything but a would be singer.

The setting of 1962 was only apparent when there was talk of the Beatles, Marilyn Monroe and the Cuban missile crisis. Not much about the music or fashion so other than those mentioned the time frame could have been anything.

I really did enjoy this book a lot and would go for 4-1/2 stars if I could. I enjoyed the camaraderie of the women. There was also a bit of suspense at the end that was kind of surprising but good.

Thank you to Netgalley and Alcove Press for providing me with a copy of this book.

In 1962, the lives of three different women - a flight attendant, a dress shop owner and a fact-checker for a local paper - intersect at an underground woman's club called the Starlite. The Starlite becomes an escape from each of their troubled relationships at home. However, the men in their lives are not sure that the Starlite is something to encourage and the women find that someone has been lurking outside their beloved social club. Tragedy is waiting just around the corner.

The magic of this book was in the relationships formed amongst the ladies of the Starlite. Their friendship and camaraderie was a testament to the fact that women need other women. I enjoyed the glimpses into the lives of women in the 1960s. It was a time when women were beginning to forge their own paths by working outside of the home yet were still defined by their relationship status.

This book was a tad on the slow side but chapters were short which made for a quick read. I really struggled with the portrayal of men in this book. There were basically zero redeeming qualities about any of them. Perhaps that was the point but I was just hoping for one of them to end up being remotely decent.

Glimmer As You Can is an historical fiction novel set in Brooklyn, 1962. The plot centers around three women from very different walks of life, who are vying to find their place in the world and express their individuality. The three have complicated relationships with the men in their lives. Madeline is the ex-wife of a corrupt politician who constantly cheated on her during their marriage. He will do anything to discredit her and keep her in check, in order to protect his reputation and pursue his own ambitions. Madeline owns the Starlight Dress shop which she is struggling to keep afloat despite her ex-husbands interference. At night she turns her shop into an esoteric social club for women where they can let their hair down and express themselves freely through poetry readings, art and dance. They drink, eat and laugh to their hearts content. Elaine is a British national who lives with Tommy, her wealthy controlling American fiancé who is a drunk and jobless. She dreams of being a writer. When she lands a job as a fact checker with The Chronicle, a prestige newspaper, she is determined to take the position, despite her fiancé's' dismay. Lisa Is a young stewardess who also struggles with a troublesome relationship. The women develop a strong bond and support system. The 1960s were an important transitional time of great cultural change for women’s rights. Martin does a great job in conveying the obstacles and stress that that characters had to deal with as women in the 60s, as well as the impact of historical events (i.e. the Cuban Crisis) of the time. The ending is bitter sweet as there is tragedy as well as happy outcomes and positive changes. This story resonated greatly with me as I grew up in Brooklyn during the 60s. I really enjoyed the book. A great read!

This is a story of three woman in the 60's who are thrown together and bond lasting friendships.  There is Madeline, who owns a dress shop The Starlight.  Madeline is married to a powerful man in politics who cheats on her, slanders her good name, and is a terrible excuse for a man. She finally has enough of it & finds ways to take him down a peg without losing her way of living. Elain is a young woman in a relationship going nowhere. Her boyfriend is living off his trust fund & expects Elaine to do as well. Elaine wants to work & earn her keep. What does Elaine have to do make her dreams come true? Lisa is a flight stewardess who is also in a relationship going nowhere. All of these ladies bond together through Elaine's night women's club at her shop.

I really enjoyed this book & the authors style of writing.  It is so easy going it sucks you right into the story and makes you feel part of it. She has a way of making you feel like your friends of the characters. It was a very enjoyable read. If you enjoy historical fiction you will love this delight. Thank you to Netgalley  & Alcove Press for my early review copy.