The Manhattan Girls is a fun, sassy, heart wrenching tale of four women in New York in the 1920s. This story is the perfect balance of historical context and fictional flare, the women are flawed while impeccably flawless, and I kept turning the pages waiting to see where the story goes. I ended up googling the characters as I was reading - and I learned so much more about one of my favorite decades in history. Overall such an enjoyable read!

One of my all time favourite tropes in novels in when the writer takes a real life person or situation and moulds the story around them or it. Gill Paul is masterful at writing historical fiction. I loved her book The Paris Wife and I felt no less love for The Manhattan Girls.

The Manhattan Girls focuses on the lives of four women who had a modicum of fame in 1920s New York - a time of great social change but also a time where morals ruled the streets and those who flouted the rules visited the seedy underbelly. It was a time of prohibition - where bathtub gin was the norm. A time when women were able to find their feet and stand their ground…but this didn’t come easy.

I absolutely adored this tale of Dorothy Parker and her friends. I didn't know a lot about them before going in to the novel but afterwards I felt like I had been present to a slice of history. Gill Paul is brilliant at transporting you to a time or place, you feel like you are a fly on the wall.

An absolutely stunning historical drama steeped in the power of friendship.

The Manhattan Girls by Gill Paul is available now.

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The Manhattan Girls is my first read from Gill Paul. I don’t often read historical fiction however I was keen to start this after a friend mentioned reading something similar and of course it’s set in New York which is one of my favourite places IRL but also one of my favourite settings to read about.

The novel is set in 1920s and follows four women - Dottie, Jane, Peggy and Winifred. The characters, based on real life friends and members of the Algonquin Round Table take turns through the novel telling their story. I researched around a bit while reading this book to learn more about the real lives of the women and found it fascinating.

I decided to listen to the audiobook of this and the narrator brought each woman to life throughout. It seems a glamorous and exciting time to be forging their own path however it’s distinctly saddening that some of the issues they face are still being face by women today. Although set in a different era, reading this has made me want to rewatch Mad Men for some more historic New York fiction!

This book was everything I wanted it to be. It had me turned pages without even realizing. It was so good!

I normally love all of Gill Paul's books, but this one I really struggled through. The characters didn't seem to have as much depth, as with her other novels. Plus the plot really seemed to drag on. I like how its based on real life people, but this one really failed to keep my attention.

Sex and the City meets the 1920s? Oh my goodness PLEASE! I adored this so much. This book is such a vibe and an escape. I felt so connected to each of the characters and the storyline flowed so smoothly. Honestly I could've kept reading more.

I simply cannot get enough of the books written by Gill Paul. I love them all and this did not disappoint!
I knew very little of life in America in prohibition times and this helped enlighten me.
The characters are brought to life so exquisitely and I learned so much.
I know there is an added fiction to the books but nonetheless you cannot fail to learn about them.
Dorothy Parker was the main lady but meeting her friends in their 'Bridge' club made you want to be part of the group.
Thank you for a great read!

Gill Paul is a repeat author for me and I enjoy reading her books. The Manhattan Girls was well researched and based loosely on real women. It told the story of 4 women and their lives in NYC. I didn't really love the characters or the book as much as I was hoping.

Sex and the City circa 1925 is the adventure called The Manhattan Girls by Gill Paul. In this novel, we meet four women, all of whom are strong and independent with successful careers. Each has worked hard to achieve their goals. Each of them has struggled from time to time with lack of confidence, insecurities and a longing for love, friendship, and permanence. Dottie, Jane, Peggy, and Winifred are members of the infamous Algonquin Round Table. What a joy to get a peek on how each one worked for her success while balancing the problems of being a woman in the early twentieth century. Along the way, we also get to meet and eavesdrop on the likes of, Alec Woollcott, Robert Benchley, Charles MacArthur, Neysa McMein, and many other literary greats. I have always loved Gill Paul’s books and as usual, she does not disappoint with this one. This book will lead you to the internet to find out more about these great women. The book was a joy to read.

4 unlikely friends in 1920’s New York trying to prove themselves in a male dominated industries . The author did a wonderful job describing the unique challenges these women faced, These strong women stick together through some very difficult times, always showing up for one another.

Having each woman narrate her own story allows you to really get a feel for what these women were going through.

I enjoyed the authors portrayal of Dorothy Parker, Jane Grant, Winifred Lenihan and Peggy Leach, and spend some time googling more about these women. .

I am a big fan of Gill Paul, and this story is one of my favorites.

Thank you to Gill Paul, and Avon Books for providing an advanced reader’s copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Absolutely loved this portrayal of Dorothy Parker and her friends! This writing was crisp and clear and I felt like I was right there.

I was really looking forward to reading this book, however I found the book to be slow going and difficult for me to get into, sadly I decided not to finish this book as I wasn’t enjoying it.

Where to start on a review for a book that you think will be one of your top reads for the year..
I absolutely loved this story from author Gill Paul. She writes with passion, with an abundance of love for her characters and oh you can feel it throughout her pages.
The Manhattan Girls pulls you into the glamour and glitz of the roaring 1920's.
I adore how this author has the ability to combine fact with fiction.
She tells her story incorporating the life of Dorothy (Dotty) Parker, an American poet, writer and critic into it along with three friends Winifred Lenihan (Broadway actress), Jane Grant (Reporter with The New York Times) and Margaret(Peggy) Leech (Advertising Sales Agent).
Fun ladies who come together when they set up The Bridge Club.
I feel I enjoyed this era immensely where women are coming into their own and they are finding their voices.
Everything seems to be a party, full of fun and enjoyment. Speakeasys were common, drink flowed but work still got done.
Chapters are told through the eyes of each of the four friends.
I enjoyed their friendships, their loves, their mistakes and their worries along with their chat.
Woodrow Wilson made an appearance in the form of a four legged friend.
Fabulous women, brave and strong in their own right.
You will love it. Brilliantly written and it has given me a huge appetite to go research these women and learn about their lives..
Well done Gill, an excellent read and so worth your time.

Thank you to Net Galley and Avon Books, UK for the chance to read and review this book. All opinions expressed are my own. I really enjoyed this book about four friends making it in the 1920's in Manhattan. Even though the characters are based on real people, the author lets the reader know some events are fictionalized. I liked the way they helped each other and were always there when something went wrong. A great book about friendship that takes place during the jazz age!

Gill Paul’s Manhattan Girls takes readers behind the desks of New York publishers, into speakeasies, and onto Broadway in 1921. She chooses a bridge group to connect the lives of four real New York career women, each with their own individual style. Gill Paul wins the hand by developing dialogue and moving the plot through four “players”: Dorothy Parker, writer, and Jane Grant, a reporter at the New York Times; kindred spirits of journalism, and Broadway actress Winnifred Lenihan and Margaret (Peggy) Leech, an advertising sales agent for Condé Nast. These women never saw swapping fashion tips at beauty salons or looking after a husband as their sole purpose in life. Gill Paul surrounds the main characters with husbands, lovers, friends, editors, newspaper columnists, authors, playwrights, actresses, and bootleggers! Seems a lot, but readers will be intrigued with the character interactions and entanglements. Her juicy descriptions of gatherings read like newspaper society columns.
Due to the war and more women in the work force, the four women are on the cusp of social change as the decade ends. Readers will be invested in how Gill Paul interprets the ideals and dreams of the four women and their relationships in this challenging time in history. The Manhattan Girls support each other’s strengths as they bid and win with the cards they’ve been dealt.

3.5 upped to 4
I'm a huge fan of Dorothy Parker, one of the wittest and more tragic woman in the XX century literary world.
I even went to see the Algonquin so this book was right up my alley.
It captured my attention since the first pages and kept me hooked till the end. It's well written and it was great to meet these characters even if they're developed according to the author and the author choose her versione of certain facts.
I enjoyed and think it's an interesting book as I hope that some people will discover Dorothy Parker.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

What I love about Gill Paul’s books are that unlike many authors who write in the historical fiction genre she never sticks to one time period. All her books have had such interesting topics that capture the readers attention and always want to make you go and research more once you have finished the book. Be it the Romonov’s in Russia, Wallis Simpson or Egypt and Tutankhamun’s tomb, I know that I will be transported to a time and place so very different from the world we inhabit today and I can be guaranteed that I will enjoy every second reading such brilliant books by this very talented author. This time around the focus is the Jazz Age, New York in the roaring 20’s and in The Manhattan Girls we follow Dorothy Parker and her literary friends as they navigate their way through a city which has finally put World War One behind them.

Shamefully, I hadn’t heard of Dorothy Parker or any of the women or men featured in this book so I went into this story completely open minded and blank and relying on the information provided to us by the author. Clearly, there was such detailed research undertaken to bring the characters, setting and plot to life and the blending of fact with fiction was flawless. Despite what I felt was a slow start I soon became completely immersed in the fascinating world the characters inhabited and several times I stopped and looked up further information about Dorothy and co as I wanted to see what aspects of the story were true and which others had Gill chosen to be liberal with in order for the story as a whole to work. The 1920’s especially in America are a fascinating time in history and that striking and evocative cover alone would make you want to dive into this book.

At the beginning there is an outline of characters that feature in the book and how they are connected to one another and admittedly this made me anxious as when I usually see a list like this it means it’s there for a reason and I will potentially have difficulty keeping track of who is who. Yes this was the case for the first few chapters as introductions were made but after that I found the book settled down into a good pace as the story unfolds. I didn’t find there to be complex twists and turns with the reader having to guess what was coming next as this book didn’t need that at all. Instead, the reader is drawn into the women's world and you find yourself engrossed in each of their lives and slowly start to admire the friendships and deep bonds that they have formed with each other.

Dorothy (Dottie) Parker is married to Eddie and alongside Jane Grant, Winifred Lenihan and Peggy Leech and many others is part of the set that occupy the tables at the Algonquin hotel. Having been let go as theatre critic for Vanity Fair, Dottie has set herself up as a freelance writer but the words will not flow. Dottie is funny, cerebral, cynical and has such a naughty aspect to her personality. She likes to be independent and is very career orientated but at the same time throughout this book she keeps repeating the same mistakes over and over again as if she had learnt nothing and she relies heavily on her friends to pick up the pieces for her.

Dottie has the most amazing one liners, sharp, witty and full of barbs and she presents a tough exterior to the outside world but deep down she is a flawed person and struggling to keep her marriage on track. To her friends and acquaintances she has the perfect life and is almost like the leader of their circle but she is battling loneliness and unhappiness. She can’t manage her life properly and the more we learn of her character and her descent into turmoil and the cries for help intensify we see that all she craves is love and acceptance and to be successful in her career. She is at the forefront of an era where women are on the cusp of great social change and being free to do incredible things but if she can’t overcome her own personal issues she won’t be able to partake in such an exciting time.

Peggy was my favourite character. She works for Conde Nast but is secretly writing a book which she daren’t dream that it may one day be published. Peggy was like the mother figure of the group, in my mind the most responsible. She has a friendly exterior but beneath it all she has a core of steel and would do anything to defend and protect her friends. Through the darkest of times, and there are some very dark and deep scenes here, she stands by and supports them when they need it the most. They knew they could turn to her and she could provide them with the answers and aid they needed.

Jane is the first female reporter for The New York Times and is married to Harold. They hope to one day soon set up their own magazine and have just bought a house in New York which needs major renovation. Taking in lodgers to help with this, even though one in particular is a friend, leads to difficulties and trauma for Jane. But she is a hard worker and dedicated both to her husband and her long term goal of establishing a magazine that would rival the top publications out there. I loved Jane’s ambition and drive and she made endless sacrifices on the path to creating the best magazine that she could. Although the male character that tests her time and time again I really wanted some of those gangsters to bump him off in the middle of the night but I admired how Jane handled him. The final woman the book focuses on is Winifred, an Broadway actress trying to make it big. Is her big moment just around the corner? Winifred was the female character I paid least attention to and although her story does become interesting it was more towards the later end of the book and I just found myself more engrossed by Peggy, Jane and Dottie.

Whilst reading The Manhattan Girls I saw several people online mention that it was like a 1920’s version of Sex and the City and I would consider that to be a favourable and true comment. The glitz and glamour were all evident yet dark times and themes had their place too at just the precise moment they needed to appear. Alcoholism, bootleggers, gangsters, infidelity and much more all feature heavily but not in a way that made the story feel really dark and depressing. Instead these themes and issues moulded well to each character they focused on. This is a story of friendship and womanhood. Of women stepping out of the shadows and expressing their creative sides, tentatively at first but growing stronger as the book progresses as they find their place in the world. They achieved great things in their careers despite their worlds being dominated by men. Feminism is a key theme and it was only at this time that the issue was beginning to come to the forefront of society and boy had it a long way to go but these unique, individual, strong yet flawed women were at the forefront following their dreams in the literary and acting world.

The one thing I will say is that I would have liked dates at the beginning of certain chapters as periods and events moved forward and it took me a few pages to establish what year we had moved to. Also in the earlier chapters, it took me a few minutes to realise which women a chapter was focusing on so their name at the beginning would have been helpful. But aside from this and these are only minor issues which other readers mightn’t have felt at all, really I thoroughly enjoyed this book and it was so refreshing to read something different that was so detailed and brought the era to life in such a rich and vivid way with such compelling, remarkable characters that by the end you care deeply for and feel like you are part of their tight unit. If you want something different from the endless books that are set during World War Two then I highly suggest you get yourself a copy of The Manhattan Girls. You won’t be disappointed.

Be transported back to 1920s New York to meet four interesting women in The Manhattan Girls. In her latest book, Gill gives voice to women who have gone missing from the pages of history, or were perhaps misrepresented in the first place. Set against the backdrop of Prohibition, Gill traces the lives of four women and the challenges they faced in working to have a career and respectful relationships.

Writers, artists, journalists, actors, and theater people met up at the famed Round Table at the Algonquin Hotel (Google it!) Yet Gill focuses on four women who formed a Bridge club: : Dorothy Parker, author; Jane Grant, journalist; Margaret "Peggy" Leech, sales person and author; and Winifred Lenihan, actress. Gill tried to capture each woman individually and collectively in their aspirations and challenges in what was still very much a man’s world.

“Women my age are on the cusp of social change, partly because of the war, partly because more of us are working. It means we’re inventing new rules as we go along, but sometimes it feels - forgive me - as if the men haven’t caught up.”

If this era appeals to you, with an obvious focus on women who were fighting for equality both at work and at home, you are sure to enjoy this book. The challenge of writing four different voices with much dialogue was met but still a lot to absorb. With friendship, camaraderie and the search for creative outlets in a very male orientated world these women were inspiring in this determinant decade.

‘…. they were both young married women trying to forge a place in the world who didn’t think looking after their husbands was their sole purpose in life.’

Historical fiction billed as 1920s Sex and The City was always going to draw me in - and when it is written by Gill Paul, whose ability to bring historical characters to life makes her a must read author for me, I knew this was a book I was going to enjoy. And it proved to be a compelling story of female friendship set in a fascinating era of societal change.

In The Manhattan Girls the reader is transported to 1920s New York and into the world of four fascinating women, Dorothy “Dottie” Parker being the most well-known. They are very different - Dottie the writer, Jane the first female reporter at the New York Times with ambitions to launch a magazine, Winifred the actress and Peggy who works in ad sales at Conde Nast - but they come together to support each other in what is still very much a “man’s world”.

Whilst Dottie is the best known, I loved getting to know the other three women - as well as gaining an insight into prohibition and the literary world of 1920s NYC. It is an immersive and engaging read and one that did what all good historical fiction does - sent me off to find out more about four fascinating women and an interesting era in history. Looking forward to what Gill Paul does next!

Thanks to the publisher for an advanced copy of this book to read,

A look at 1920s New York, through the eyes of 4 very different women who form life long friendships after the war. The world is changing and they are starting to have more rights than ever. Things are not easy though, being a woman they still need to try to juggle a marriage, a career and babies

These women bond through their experiences, and are there for each other no matter what. Dorothy, Peggy, Winnie and Jane make their way through a new world, they are strong and powerful.

It was a fascinating look at a different kind of life to the one that we live these days. If it hadn’t been for women like these then we may not have some of the freedoms that we are lucky to have now. Thankfully, things have changed a lot.