The Woman At The Wheel by Penny Haw - thank you @bookmarked for providing me with an ARC - I loved my reading and learning about the early automobile and Bertha Benz' impactful ride.
I love learning about little known nuggets of history in historical fiction and this book gave me those nuggets I wanted. Benz in Mercedes- Benz or Daimler- Benz was a name I equated with cars and I knew it went back to the inventors - but did not know much about the inventor Carl Benz and less (of course) about his wife Bertha. Late 1800s Germany was an interesting place for people with big ideas and Carl Benz was one of them but while he was a brilliant thinker and engineer he was not independently rich or an astute businessman. He was obsessed with developing a horseless carriage in a time when some people thought machines like that unnatural or evil. Bertha met him by chance in 1869 and was impressed by his determination and passion for a subject and his will to share his knowledge with her. This book describes Bertha's background having been born into a well to do large family and her relationship with her father. She loved talking to him about his work but was also driven by a note she saw written in the family bible next to her name by her father. He wrote that she was
"unfortunately, only a girl again." That statement made her want to show him she could be more than just be a wife, mother, and housekeeper. So when she heard Carl describe what he wanted to build someday his enthusiasm was what captured her and brought her along on the journey. Bertha's negotiation skills, what you would describe today as marketing skills, persistence and constant support for her husband's invention was remarkable.
The ultimate marketing ploy was proving it would go long distances so she and two of her teenage sons, drove 66 miles with it to see her birth family - and it is a hilly area they traveled through. The details of this trip were so intriguing to learn- she was definitely not afraid of hard work or getting her hands dirty or finding an ingenious solution.

In this fascinating historical fiction novel about Bertha Benz, Penny Haw brings late nineteenth century Germany and Austria to life as she follows Bertha and her inventor husband Carl on the path to the motorwagen, what we now call the automobile or car. Haw’s characters are fantastic, and she brings the relatively unknown Bertha to life, giving her a stake in the development of the motorwagen and Carl’s various businesses and inventions and making her a brilliant, clever, and loyal figure. The minor characters that come in and out of Bertha’s life are equally well-developed, and this novel is very character-driven and character-centric, yet all of the characters are equally developed and emerge, at various points in the story, fully formed and dynamic. The settings of Germany and Austria add to the story’s atmosphere and charm, and Haw has created some incredibly engaging setting pieces and elements to expand the story’s scope and descriptions. Haw has created a fascinating, charming, educational, and immersive historical fiction novel about an unknown historical woman who absolutely dominates every page of this novel. The Woman At the Wheel is a fantastic fictionalized insight into the technological advancements of the late nineteenth century and the development of an invention which modern readers take for granted.

The Woman at the Wheel is a fascinating story about Bertha Benz, the wife of Carl Benz. Feel like that last name sounds familiar? Think Mercedes Benz are you would be correct!

Bertha and Carl develop what is known as the motor wagen. Later their name would be recognized as part of Mercedes Benz. This is their story. A story of family and invention.

This story had me from the very beginning and young Bertha’s interest in her father’s business. As we got into the story of her meeting Carl, their marriage, and the continued development of this mode of transportation I was hooked.

I love that it was a family project. Even their children were invested in the outcome. I love that Bertha believed in and supported Carl against all odds. Together they developed this motor wagen, together they tested it and convinced people it could and would work.

Two very strong people combined were unstoppable and their development of the motor wagen continues to impact generations after them.

I highly recommend this book to fans of historical fiction, fans of strong female characters, and readers looking for a good story.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark for the copy of this book. All views are my honest opinion.

This historical fiction novel focuses on the life of Bertha Benz, wife to Carl Benz, and how her contributions led to his successful invention of a horseless carriage. In 1800s Germany, this motorwagen was a precursor to the modern car and would also lead to the creation of the Mercedes-Benz company. Despite financial ups and downs as well as Carl’s disputes with business partners, Bertha never lost faith in her husband and his dream. Alongside two of her sons, Bertha hatched a plan to showcase the motorwagen across various German towns. This risky endeavor proved to be the turning point in the motorwagen’s future.

This book was incredibly interesting and engaging. Bertha was such a strong figure at a time in history when women were expected to be happy in the sole role of raising a family. I loved that her story was told from her perspective! She was a determined and loyal individual who certainly made a mark in history.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the ARC of this title in exchange for my honest review.

Bertha is in no hurry to marry, especially to a man who does not listen to her ideas. But when Bertha’s sisters get married and travel to America with their husbands she feels left behind. Then on a fateful train ride she meets Carl Benz who is working on a horseless carriage. Bertha is immediately taken with Carl as he truly listens to her and asks for her opinions. Carl struggles working at the factory where the workers are only there for the pay, not because they are interested in engineering. Years of disappointment with various business partners has impeded Carl from establishing himself and the motor wagon. But Bertha truly believes in Carl, fights for him and is a true partner. What a remarkable pair they were!

The Woman At the Wheel is an historical fiction novel about Bertha Benz, the wife of Carl Benz. You might’ve heard of him, you know, from Mercedes Benz. What you might not know is how important his wife was in getting his ideas manifested and negotiated with everyone around him.

Ya’ll know I love a good historical fiction and this one is no exception. I loved this story and how this family’s story developed. Obviously, the book is told in novel form, but there’s a ton of accurate history here as detailed in the author’s note at the end.

I’d recommend this one for anyone who loves a good historical fiction or is curious about the Benz family and their contribution to the automobile industry.

This book is based on the real life wife of the man who built the first prototype automobile. But when his supporters turn against him, it is his wife’s ideas that save it all. A portrait of “the woman behind the man”, now recognized for her contributions and strength, this one is such an interesting read. This book is out now!

It is a slow-burn story of the eventual creation of the car. However, I appreciate the focus being on her and not her husband. Overall it was a good story about a woman and her devotion to her family, her husband’s career, and her own dreams.

THE WOMAN AT THE WHEEL by Penny Haw (The Invincible Miss Cust) offers insight on a fascinating, but little-known historical figure: Bertha Benz, business partner and wife of automobile inventor Carl Benz. Haw describes Bertha's childhood, courtship with Benz, and her subsequent contributions to his work. Unfortunately, the text seems rather repetitive. In part, that is justified because the pair were met by substantial skepticism and business set backs as they strove to develop their "motorwagen." It must have required great faith and fortitude to persist in developing that first automobile and Haw stresses that. As she explains, "Bertha wanted to live a life of innovation and purpose in an era when women were expected to be grateful to do nothing more than keep house and raise children." Together, Bertha and Carl eventually launched a company which employed hundreds of people and was the world's leading automotive manufacturer. He praised her in his autobiography: "brave and courageous, she hoisted new sails of hope and support at a time when no one else believed in the dream." Haw includes a Bibliography, Reading Group Guide, and a Conversation with the Author which centers on this extraordinary woman.

The Woman at the Wheel is a beautifully told historical story which illuminates the impact Bertha Benz had in ultimate success of the first horseless carriage created by her husband. This story about a real woman and her impressive role and partnership with her husband is beautifully written. The story is full of detail about the creation and the struggles the couple go through together. Bertha is an impressive mother, wife, supporter, and helper to her husband. Equally impressive is the progressive relationship for the time that existed between Carl and Bertha. Carl credited his wife with his ultimate success which resulted from her unwavering belief in her husband even when he doubted himself. I enjoy reading stories that show the impressive impact of woman throughout history and The Woman at the Wheel is a great example of this.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced reader copy. This is my honest review.

When I saw The Woman at the Wheel online and its caption, I knew I had to read it. And I am so glad I did as it has enriched my knowledge of another great woman of history: one who has made a huge contribution to the progress of transportation. Historical fiction can educate us in the most delightful way and I can honestly say this book inspired me and brought to my attention the incredible Bertha Benz. Without doubt, this is one of the most moving stories I have read this year!

The author’s passionate interest in Bertha Benz comes shining through. I felt as though I was there beside this brave resourceful woman all the way through the story. Penny Haw has treated this real person from the past with great respect and presented her in an honest yet glowing light. Bertha Benz, a strong, persuasive and highly intelligent woman, was up against the prejudices or her time. She was a visionary, like her genius husband and I loved watching them bring their inventions to the world, particularly the motorwagon. There were so many fantastic arguments Bertha won with her keen insight and belief in her husband’s abilities. She was his true partner in every sense of the word and particularly supported him through all his faults (yes, he wasn’t perfect) and setbacks. She made up for the differences and helped his dream become a reality—even amid the ridicule, the betrayals of others, the lack of funds, faith and vision of others. She held fast to the dream and drew her children into it as well. She convinced the un-convincible that their invention was important and worth investing in.

With the way Penny Haw has brilliantly portrayed Bertha, I cannot help rave on about this book and woman. I loved that she stood up for herself against the farce traditions and beliefs of her time. From the time she read her father’s words about her birth when she was ten years old ‘unfortunately only a girl again’ we wonder if she was determined to prove her worth after that. Or was she just that way and would have done everything she did, regardless? A part of me thinks it was a bit of both. In the 1800s the desire for a male heir was strong and Bertha was the third daughter. Yet despite her father’s disappointment that he was having another girl (the third one), he talked to her in great length about his work as a master builder in Germany and she was fascinated and greatly interested, learning all she could from him. Her mother had differing views. She said, ‘Everything a girl learns is useless’ and ‘misleading.’ She felt women were meant to be in the home living a traditional life.

Even though Bertha’s parents wanted her married off to someone of stature and wealth, she wanted to be with someone who would respect her, value her and share an equal partnership. Carl was that man. He was intelligent and an ambitious inventor but poor. He respected her intelligence and opinion. Carl was raised by his mother who was a strong woman and he learned from her. He did not grow up with a father figure who would have formed in him the usual male views of his time. So, for Carl having an equal partnership with his wife was a natural thing.

‘It would take more than being a genius to realise a dream.’ Carl received his education degrees at a young age and his intelligence was visible early on. His passion to invent the horseless carriage, though, had recurring problems—even with the support of his wife who invested her dowry and inheritance early on to see the dream fulfilled. For this was a costly adventure and they did not have enough money to design the components. They needed investors. But Carl’s impatience and intolerance of others who did not understand his engineer brain, made it difficult. Bertha realised there were some gaps in his social abilities and she became the bridge and built relationships with some of his partners. Many times, she had to rein Carl in to keep the balance. It was quite an adventure with numerous challenges. Bertha was good for business and had a gift of effective negotiating. As a result, together they were able to persevere and succeed.

I won’t discuss the famous long perilous journey that was over 100 KM she took with her two sons to prove the motorwagon’s worth, except to say it was a fascinating tribute to her determination, bravery and understanding of the vehicle which led to an even greater development of it. Her trip exposed the weak areas and her husband was able to modify those parts to make it even better.

There are many wonderful themes in the novel: including sisterhood and friendship. Bertha was close to her sisters. So when they both moved to America, she felt a great loss but continued to correspond with one for advice. As for friendships: hers with Ava was unexpected. Initially it was a positive experience but later when Ava married, there were tense moments. Bertha needed to have these women to confide in, even though she knew she was very different from her sisters and friends. Unfortunately, this sometimes caused resentment (particularly with Ava). But with Ben, the journalist, she had a valuable friendship. He was instrumental in helping to spread the word of the motor wagon to the once small-minded world.

Animals played an important role in Bertha’s life. Her dogs were wonderful companions and there were some scenes with them that really broke my heart. Her mother had a deep connection to horses and there’s a beautiful passage that gave me goosebumps. Horses generally symbolise freedom and power. In those days, horses were used everywhere and her mother resented the fact these animals had been harnessed and often injured by humans. So, replacing them with an engine was a genius solution in her mind. Yet ironically the word horsepower remained part of transport vehicle’s description.

The Woman at the Wheel takes us into the heart and life of a woman who truly was a positive force behind her husband and who shared his vision. Ms. Haw’s novel celebrates this vividly. As Carl said in the dedication of his autobiography: (and is used in the novel) she was the one person who stayed next to him ‘in the little ship of life in the days when the sinking was approaching…she did not tremble during the onslaught of life. Brave and courageous, she hoisted new sails of hope and support at a time when no one else believed in the dream.’

This is a wonderful inspiring novel that I highly recommend. 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark and Netgalley for my review copy.

This is a historical fiction book about Bertha Benz, the wife of Carl Benz. Carl Benz created one of the first automobiles.

When Bertha is 10 she’s sees five words that change her life “unfortunately, only a girl again” written next to her name in the family bible. At the time, woman were to find a good husband, have children, and manage the home. Bertha shows an interest in her fathers business and how things work that most girls are discouraged from. She spends her life determined to be more than “only a girl”. Her life is full of challenges but her persistence made history take note of her.

I enjoyed the history behind this book and learning more about Berthas influence behind the first motorwagen.

𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕎𝕠𝕞𝕒𝕟 𝕒𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕎𝕙𝕖𝕖𝕝
𝔹𝕪 ℙ𝕖𝕟𝕟𝕪 ℍ𝕒𝕨
𝔾𝕖𝕟𝕣𝕖: ℍ𝕚𝕤𝕥𝕠𝕣𝕚𝕔𝕒𝕝 𝔽𝕚𝕔𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟
ℝ𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘: 𝟚/𝟝⭐️
ℙ𝕦𝕓 𝕕𝕒𝕪: 𝕆𝕔𝕥𝕠𝕓𝕖𝕣 𝟛

The premise of this book was what drew me to request it. Curiosity of the beginning of “horseless carriages” and the classic “woman behind the man” scenario.

While I appreciated all the historical details and reading about a strong woman back in the late 1800s who was appreciated for her wisdom by her husband I struggled with the monotony of the story. I had expected some background and then hoped for the specifics of cars entering into the world but it never came. It was all detailed info of the Benz family day to day life and all the trials and errors that went into the making of the first “Motorwagon”.

I stuck with it but honestly don’t feel like it was worth the time for me. If you do read this be prepared for heavy character development and a lot of particulars. This is a book for history buffs that want all the info they can get!

Thank you Sourcebooks Landmark for the arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you @bookmarked for the #gifted copy of this book!

What it’s about:

This book is about Bertha Benz and her unwavering commitment and loyalty for her husband vision and efforts to pursue the first prototype automobile! This automobile ended up becoming the grand empire that is now Mercedes Benz! As soon as Bertha met Carl Benz there was an immediate attraction. It wasn’t necessarily physical but more of an attraction to his mind, drive and ingenuity. A horseless carriage is what his focus was on and he just knew he could do it. The story reveals their trials and tribulations in business, in their relationship and in a time where women were not taken seriously. Bertha constantly lived in her husband’s shadow but when it came down to it she not only saved this idea and company but helped him realize he couldn’t do it on his own!

Thoughts: This was such a wonderfully written story about a strong willed woman. I loved to watch her determination and willingness to completely step out of the normal social realm of her time! This woman had some serious grit and I loved to read about her journey and then the watch the ultimate dream come to fruition at the end. There were a lot of bumps along the way but her ability to work along side him more as his equal is ultimately what got them what they wanted in the end. If you’re looking for a book about a dominant successful female who truly made a difference in this world make sure to grab yourself a copy! This one is out tomorrow!

The Woman at the Wheel by Penny Haw is a historical fiction based on the life of Bertha Benz whose husband built the first prototype automobile which eventually became Mercedes-Benz.

I found this was interesting to learn more about the earlier history of the automobile and how much of a partnership was between Carl and Bertha. Plus she gets the credit for the first long-distance test drive.

The book was a little long and seemed repetitive but it's because of the failure & try again aspect of innovating. I really liked the author's notes about Bertha and why she wrote the book.

Thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark for my advanced copy of The Woman at the Wheel. It comes out Tuesday - October 3rd.

Women have been in the shadows of history for too long, and author Penny Haw has brought a special one to light in this novel. I knew nothing about Bertha Benz (nee Cäcilie Bertha Ringer) until I had the chance to read Haw’s work. Bertha got her hands dirty in the workshop with her husband and used her social skills to help create positive interest in the horseless carriage they have both dreamed of making a reality for their entire married life. Without her, it is likely Carl Benz never would have made his mark on history. While the third quarter of the book got a little tiresome, it reflects the stage of Bertha’s life, marriage, and circumstances. The beginning and end were the best parts of the story, but then again, they were the best parts of Bertha’s life.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark, Netgalley, and the author for early access to this intriguing historical story.

“Only one person stayed next to me in the little ship of life in the days when the sinking was approaching. That was my wife. She did not tremble before the onslaught of life. Brave and courageous, she hoisted new sails of hope and support at a time when no one else believed in the dream.” Carl Benz

1859 Pforzheim, Germany
10 year old Cäcilie Bertha Ringer discovers the entry in the family Bible chronicling her birth as Unfortunately, only a girl again. Young Bertha has an extraordinary interest in her father’s vocation as a successful master builder and sets off on a journey to refute her only a girl status.
She meets Carl Benz and is drawn to his intelligence and passion in the field of engineering and his dream to create a motor wagon - the modern day automobile. Her business acumen and devotion to her husband is a powerful force and now is finally credited as the reason his invention survived against all odds. In particular the tenacity in which she deals with nefarious business partners demonstrates how Bertha and Carl Benz partnership was a loving and successful one.
Based on true events and actual people, the fictional version of another woman-behind-the-man story highlights the very real growing pains of an invention that would change the world.

4.5 ⭐️
What a story ! I I have to admit I knew nothing going into this book but loved reading about Bertha and Carl Benz and the story of the first motor car ! Although at times it gets a bit in to the details ( they are building the first motor car after all) o thought the story was beautifully told . What an amazing woman Bertha is and what an amazing man Carl is - not just because of this genius mind, but also in how he treats Bertha like a partner in life - which for that time is definitely progressive

This genre of novel is often termed the story of the woman behind the man but in this case, as in so many others, it's about the woman who was beside the man. Berthe Benz had incredible faith in her husband Carl and despite many setbacks they created a company which survives and thrives today. Haw has done a good job of depicting the life of an intelligent woman in the second half of the 19th century- a woman who not only raised her family as was expected but also raised her husband's (their) company. if I have a quibble it's that there's a lot of focus on all the struggles and failures (admittedly, true to life) and less on joy, However, this gave me insight into a company that I'd not fully appreciated. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC, A good read.

For the most part I liked this book. I liked that Bertha was so smart and interested in things most women of that time period wouldn’t be. It was interesting to see how Benz got his start. I did think the book rambled a lot.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy