I had looked forward to this read since I was quite fond of this author’s other book, Montauk, but unfortunately it did not deliver as I had expected. The storyline could have been so much better but we seemed to get bogged down with menial details. This one had the capability to be a great novel about the Ziegfield Girls and the Midnite Follies but it got caught up in romance and seemed to miss the mark on what life was really like. I found the main character to be a little bit self centered and her personality was not developed as I would have wished.
What I did get out of the story aside from the romance was a good look at what life would or could have been like traveling, performing and entertaining in this timeframe.
I thank St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read an ARC along with NetGalley for my unbiased review. This one comes in with 3 stars.

I enjoyed this historical Fiction novel. The writing is very atmospheric of 1920’s New York and kept me engaged throughout. Olive was a strong character and had ambition as well as a secret.
Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Show Girl was the first book I have read by Nicola Harrison and I loved it! I loved seeing life through the eyes of a Ziegfeld girl and all the glitz and glamour that was associated with being one of Ziegfeld's chosen. Olive was such a strong and independent female character. I didn't always agree with her choices and behaviors, but I enjoyed watching her navigate through the life she had chosen for herself. Archie was such a kind soul and I appreciated how he accepted Olive for who she was. Not only is this is a beautiful romance, but also a story about never giving up on you dreams and passions.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read this book for an honest review.

Read if you: Want a big-hearted story of entertainment, heartbreak, hope, and second chances.

Historical fiction can be bleak and depressing (and I say this as someone who loves the genre!). If you want a story that entertains as well as moves, try this one. Yes, the ending might be a little too good to be true, but if you need an uplifting story of love and happily-ever-after after tragedy, this is definitely for you.

Librarians/booksellers: Your historical fiction fans who are tired of war and tragedy will love this.

Many thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for a digital review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Plot doesn't deviate from the Shakespearean comedy/romance tropes: Girl meets boy, falls in love, complication arise, romance seems doomed, resolution, happily ever after. Enjoyed reading about the Ziegfield Follies though!

The Show Girl is the story of Olive McCormick who dreams of being a Ziegfeld Girl and moves to New York City in 1927 to pursue her dream. When she falls in love she finds herself torn between career and relationship.

I wanted to read this novel because I'm interested in the 1920's and find the Ziegfeld Follies fascinating. The author did an amazing job of capturing the 1920's in this novel! The period details are rich, and the glimpse at the 1920's stage was especially interesting.

Olive has a sad back story and makes some bad choices through the novel. I read on, pulling for her to find happiness.

I recommend The Show Girl for fans of historical fiction, and especially for anyone interested in the 1920's, theater history, and the Ziegfeld Follies.

I find myself flip-flop on my feelings about this book throughout my read. But in the end, I think if I have to assign a score to this book out of 5, it will be somewhere between 3.5 and 4. I've been finding this book to be a very enjoyable read but I've been having some hard time really connect with the main character, which dampened my experience of reading this book.
Something you should know about this book before getting into it: The main character goes through some traumatic experiences early on in the book that may be uncomfortable for some. This incident happens in Chapter 2 and is important throughout the story.

So here's all the main things I loved about this book:
1. The setting and tone. This book delivered everything I was expecting from reading the description when it comes to the setting and tone. The glamour and glow of broadway in the 1920s is so vividly that I feel like I can see the neon lights, the well-dressed patrons, and the show girls. I've always felt that it is hard to convey a sense of luxury. So often I'd read a book where the author was trying to portray a character living in a luxury environment and it ends up being just endless name-drops and inevitably turning me off. I didn't feel that way with this book at all. Sure the girls are in Ziegfeld shows and you do get quite a feel description about how grand and expensive everything is but it never felt like the author was overusing those elements, so it never became bothersome to me. The description of the girls' living situation and the pines are also very simple but on point, that it is very easy to imagine the backdrop where the story unfolds.
2. The pacing of the story. This story is very fast-paced. I've never felt the plot was dragging at any point of the read. Instead, it was just one thing after another after another. It's actually hard to find a breakpoint to put down the story and do something else because there's always something happening and I want to find out what happens next!
3. The author's writing style. There's something about the way the author writes that makes this book a breeze to read for me. Sometimes I'd come across a book with a story that I absolutely adore but have a hard time reading it because I just can't get into the author's writing style. That was not the case with this book. Reading the story feels like listening to a friend telling it.

Now for the main thing in the book that did not quite work for me:
There's really only one thing and that is the main character's relationship with her friends, her family, and her lover felt a little be underdeveloped to me. Part of me thinks this is probably a natural result of the author wanting to keep the story moving at a fast pace and the sheer content in this story.
Oliver went through a lot of ups and downs throughout this book, and to keep the book a manageable length, the author has to keep only the plots that are important to the character's development. That means we don't get to see a lot of interactions between Oliver and her friends or family if it doesn't serve a function in the plot, even though it will help develop the character's relationship with these other cast members.
Oliver is also a very upbeat person with a can-do spirit, which I adore. But that also means the author probably can't have her dwelling too much on her darker thoughts.
Unfortunately, the end result of this is that I find myself having a hard time connecting with Oliver in the end. Her relationships with other characters in the book felt somewhat superficial and the result is her pain and struggle don't feel quite "real" to me. And that, in turn, made the end 1/3 of the story not quite as powerful as it could have been.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for generously granting me an ARC of this book for a fair and honest review:

I loved it. Loved, loved, loved. I have a bright spot in my heart for stories of showgirls back in the Hollywood golden era, and Harrison has put so much effort into delving into the life of a striving showgirl. We get to tag along in her realistic and fulfilling rise, and Harrison makes sure that we are fully present in that world, in that time, belonging alongside the characters. What a smart and slippery trek through the evolving relationship, and without giving away too much, this is one smart journey, so realistic in how the marriage starts its reveal as not all you think it is. Where other novels lose a reader by zipping through relationship dynamics, The Show Girl shows 'em how to do it right. I loved living in this book. This is a beach read, for sure.

Many think that women got the vote in 1920 and that was it, everything was fine. However, The Show Girl gives readers an accurate portrayal of just how much more of a fight white women had to be taken seriously. This book is very rich history and would be just right to teach in a women's studies class to give the 21st century student the sense of just how confined things were 100 years ago. The only omission from this book was how it didn't take into account the struggle of Black women at the same time. A few lines/paragraphs, would have done the work to allow readers to get the sense of Olive's own heightened position, which didn't allow her to see what was going on around her. Paying attention to such matters is the difference between historical fiction published now and historical fiction published five years ago. Still, the research is well done, and Olive's pain and struggle lets readers root for her right from the start.

When I first heard about The Show Girl: A Novel, I knew I would want to read it because the cover reminded me of City of Girls, as did the premise, in some ways. The story did have a similar feel, but it was also completely different. I still enjoyed it though!

I loved the Broadway aspect of this novel, as well as the 1920s version of glamping in the Adirondacks. I also enjoyed seeing Olive's courtship with Archie play out. Olive's background proved to be interesting, in regards to her secret and how it comes into play later on to affect her relationship and career. Olive was a conflicted character and sometimes I got frustrated with her for making rash decisions. I felt bad for her at the same time, however.

I felt the ending wrapped up too neatly, but it was still a worthwhile read and Olive needed a win by the end. Stick around afterward to check out the author's note, as there's a lot of good background information. She incorporated what she learned to add vivid detail to the story. I could easily visualize everything that was going on.

The story was engaging and entertaining. While we're waiting for Broadway to reopen, this is a good way to get back into the theater mood (or keep it going).

Movie casting ideas:
Olive: Madeline Carroll
Archie: Richard Madden
Ruthie: Eleanor Tomlinson
Olive's mom: Mireille Enos
Olive's dad: Brian Geraghty
Alberto: Michael Bublé
Florenz: Timothy Busfield

I had received an ARC from Net Galley for this review: “The Show Girl” by Nicola Harrison is a historical fiction that features a star of the Ziegfeld Follies and Ziegfeld Frolic, Olive, in the years before the great stock market crash of 1929. I really enjoyed this story of Olive, her life, and making her dreams come true. The nightlife, the speakeasies, the fancy restaurants, the modern and exciting vibe are all depicted so vividly. The details of Olive’s showgirl life and the production of the fantastic Ziegfeld shows are enthralling and well-written. Olive is feisty, ferocious about achieving her dreams, and a bit wild and madcap. She came from a staid, middle-class family and she harbors a tragic secret. When she meets wealthy and all-around wonderful Archie, she feels love for the first time. But what happens when her life and dreams collide? “The Show Girl” features a one-of-a-kind main character and a lively story. The cover of this book features a showgirl, with hr twenty pounds of feathers atop her head. I loved The Show Girl!

The cover caught my eye right away, along with the plot. 1920s, strong females, and the Zeigfield Follies! The book didn't keep my attention as well.as I had hoped. I couldn't feel a lot of sympathy for the main character Olive. The details in the books to paint a very vivid picture of that time right before the Great Depression.

Thank you to netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review. Behind the beautiful cover we follow the story of Olive a young dancer who becomes a Ziegfeld follies dancer and her life.

This was a fascinating fictionalized account of New York City in the 20s, through the eyes of a Ziegfeld Follies showgirl. And most of the scenes, I felt like I was actually there! The characters are well drawn and although I didn’t like the choices that Olive made, The author made it all very believable.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Nicola Harrison spins an engaging tale of an independent woman when one should be anything but. A look at the life of Olive, a woman who does what she wants, even if her family disapproves.

I loved this book. From the very beginning I was drawn in by the writing. The main character is well drawn out and her story is compelling. I felt that the ending was a bit rushed but I forgive this as I enjoyed the rest of the book so much.

It was so easy to get swept up into this story.

Following an independent, free-thinking woman during the 1920s, who's chasing her dream of being a showgirl against the grain of society and the wishes of her family, you can't help but root for her. This story felt compellingly authentic-- like you are following a real person's life and not that of a character. A hallmark of excellent historical fiction writing.

It wasn't unnecessarily dramatic or have plot twists for the sake of plot twists. It simply explores the complexities of what it means to be a woman who wants it all while trying to decide what having it all means for her. Simply good.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was lucky enough to win an eARC of THE SHOW GIRL by Nicola Harrison in a Shelf Awareness giveaway. Thanks so much to the early look, and have a safe and happy weekend!

I loved this period history story! Rebellion of societal norms was a major theme here. As well as a reminder that having everything you think you want will not always make you happy, but sometimes what you think you do not want will make you happy.

"The Show Girl" is the classic story of a singer/dancer who wants to make it big in NYC. Set in the 1920's we get a glimpse into life as a Ziegfeld show girl & life before the financial crash. Olive McCormick is a woman of means but her family doesn't always approve of her choices, but she tends to follow her own desires anyways.

Overall, it is really well written (though there are a few moments that feel like forced plot parts to move the story forward and we gloss over some things that shouldn't have been glossed over) and a nice piece of historical fiction with a touch of romance.

I will say it's really not about being a showgirl at all - it's more of a background accessory to all the other familial & romance plot lines. There's also things that don't really make sense i.e. literally just walking into a starring role, the whole time she spends in the woods... we don't see any blood, sweat or tears, not a lot of glitz, glamor or glitter. There's no explanation of how hard it is but how fabulous it is. There's no deep dive into the lights, stage, costumes, smell, the other girls. This was not truly the story of a showgirl. It was the story of a romance and family struggle about a girl who happens to dance and sing. I was, of course, here for the showgirl aspect that I didn't quite get. I think I was expecting this to be everything I wanted a 5 star read so I set some high expectations for it, and this critique is probably just a personal one as I care too much.

Also, this one to me was much better than "City of Girls", if these two book combined aspects, I think it would be closer to what I needed. If you were disappointed in lack of showgirl-ness I suggest you read "Gypsy" by Gypsy Rose Lee, it'll give you everything you crave.

If you're looking for a femme, fun historical novel for the summer "The Show Girl" would be a perfect choice (+ hello to this cover - I can never resist feathers)..

* I received an arc in exchange for an honest review*.