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

We all have heard of Benz through the name on the car. We might not know it is for Carl Benz, but his name has stayed with us. What we might not know is how his wife, Bertha, was a driving force in getting the world its first horseless carriage, the automobile (car). This is a story of the woman who was interested in science and how things worked and found a place for herself in a world that did not value the mind of a woman. 
An historical fiction account, the story follows what we historically know of the woman and her famous husband. It doesn't sugar coat Bertha's struggles with society and within her own family. She found a part of herself in Carl Benz and a way to expand her own mind and teach her children that they could do anything. The story takes the reader from Bertha's childhood, meeting and marrying Carl, and to the moment that the world saw and appreciated the automobile. 
This was a great book that took me into their private lives to see how it might have been and to remind me that it was not always easy for women or even those who thought out of the box like her husband did. He was mocked many times for trying to create "unnatural" things that we take for granted today as part of everyday life. 
I do wonder what they would think today if they saw what that first car would become in today's world. 
A great read that will have you completely engrossed in the descriptive story. A great historical fiction book always has me researching the lives and times of those written about. I'm already looking for more info on the Benz family and what the world said about this great invention.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
I’ve never read anything by Penny Haw before, but I was intrigued by the premise of exploring the life of another woman that history has obscured. I similarly hadn’t heard of Bertha Benz, and didn’t know about her and her husband’s work pioneering the first automobile (although I was drawn to the mention of the Mercedes-Benz connection), and this book was enlightening in highlighting both her origins and her early accomplishments in the automotive field.
I loved the focus on how unlikely she was to contribute anything substantial in her early life, including the emphasis on her own father’s disappointment with the statement written in the family Bible by her name, “Unfortunately, only a girl again.” She is basically consigned to the very strict gender roles of the period, restricting her to marriage and children. But that wasn’t enough for her, and I loved how the story showed how instrumental she was in her husband Carl’s success.
But the writing was incredibly bland and distant. I didn’t feel a sense of immediacy, and while I know these were real people, the best historical fiction brings them to life; this might as well have been a textbook, if Penny Haw hadn’t admitted to taking a few liberties in her author’s note. And given some of my issues with historical fiction books that take place over a long period of time, this was one of the worst examples, with the story dragging, only becoming interesting toward the end, when Bertha has come to the cusp of her success.
While I didn’t care for the execution of this book, I’m definitely in the minority, as I’ve seen many more positive reviews. If you’re looking for a story about an under-celebrated woman from history, and you don’t have the same hang-ups I have, I recommend checking this out!

Thank you to Sourcebooks for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Before reading this book, I had heard of the manufacturer we know as Mercedes-Benz, but I knew nothing about the history behind the name.

This historical fiction novel shares the story of Mercedes-Benz from the perspective of Bertha Benz the wife of Carl Benz and their work on designing and bringing to reality the dream of the horseless carriage.

I recommend this novel to those readers interested in women in STEM and books featuring women in history that we know very little about. I enjoyed the characters in this novel that supported Bertha and her involvement and role in the work to design this automobile.

I did find there were a few moments when the story dragged a bit in the pacing and focused a bit too much on details that didn't seem overly important for so much time to be spent on them. I did find this to be a bit more repetitive in the novel than was needed to get the point across to the reader. I feel the novel focuses and repeatedly reiterates the difficulty that was faced by Bertha and Carl in getting support and interest in their vehicle and that the difficulty was a greater proportion of the story than the successes. I found the ending to be kind of abrupt without any indication what was to come next for the family. I did enjoy the feeling from the novel that Bertha changed the future for more girls and young women in the future with interests similar to hers in the areas of STEM. Overall The Woman At The Wheel was an interesting read.

I love reading about women in history who helped shape the course of history. This is what Bertha Benz helped do. I had no idea how the first car was developed. It was fascinating being taken through each step with the Benz family. How they did in fact make it a family affair. Bertha was determined to have an equal marriage, to be heard, and to help make her husband's dream come true. From the moment she met Carl, she was smitten by the way he spoke about his dreams. She could see that it would come true. Bertha was the one who took everything one step further. To have everyone witness what her wonderful husband invented. That everyone needed one, it was the future.

She was determined to make sure that even though she was only a girl, that her voice was heard, and that she mattered. Bertha and Carl had an equal marriage. He heard her ideas and drew upon them. He had a dream and she made it happen. This is an intriguing, well written story, which will take you back to the late 1800s. Thank you to Penny Haw and Sourcebooks Landmark for my trip back in history.

Thank you, Sourcebooks, for my advance electronic copy. My opinions are my own.

Bertha Ringer grows up admiring her father and following him to work, believing he shares his world with her because he is proud of who she is and what she can do. After all, her other siblings don't show any interest, and her father is a self-made man who amassed a fortune with hard work. But when she learns that he sees her as a disappointment, and that only because she was born a girl, she is cut to the core. Years later when it comes time for her to marry and start a family, she makes the unconventional choice to betroth herself to Carl Benz, a nobody with nothing but a dream. But he can see her as a partner, and that is enough for her to throw her dowry into his dying business scheme and help prove his genius. Thus starts a lifelong partnership of Carl's genius and Bertha's drive and practical sense--a labor of love, respect, and resilience that is both professionally and personally fulfilling.

I really felt for Bertha and her struggle to be seen outside of her relationship to her husband and whether she can keep house and bear children for him. She was up against the patriarchal systems of every aspect of her life, and--at least as painted by Haw--ended up having a lot of the credit for Benz' success as the inventor of the internal combustion engine. She created the environment and helped him find the will to create it, and she guided the engine to become the business success that it became. Haw paints a seamless picture of the world of that time, bathing the reader in it's attitudes and systems. There were a few things that seemed odd (Bertha's taking so long to realize the male-skewed nature of her world, for example, and what that meant for her as a woman), but they were a small corner of an otherwise flawless immersion. Benz seems to have been good as an inventor, but this book (and, it seems, history) leaves little doubt that so much of his success is due to his wife. What an impressive woma

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book a lot!

I love learning about little known nuggets of history in historical fiction and this book gave me those nuggets I wanted. We have all heard of a Mercedes-Benz car, but I never knew about the husband and wife team that began (what became the famous brand) back in the late 1800s Germany. Carl Benz was obsessed with developing a horseless carriage. Most people thought it was unnatural or evil. When Bertha met him by chance in 1869, little did she know that his passion would become hers as well for the next 20 years. This book describes Bertha's early years in her large family and her relationship with her father. The thing that drove her, was a note she saw written in the family bible by her father. He wrote that "unfortunately, only a girl again." That statement made her want to do more than just be a wife, mother, and housekeeper. She wanted to do the same thing her brothers were allowed to do, which was anything they wanted. So when she heard Carl describe what he wanted to build someday and the enthusiasm in his voice, she knew she had to be with him on the journey. And what a journey of ups and downs it was. Berth's persistence and constant support for her husband's invention was remarkable. If not for her, I don't believe his "motorwagen" would be been built. To prove that it would travel long distances to potential investors and buyers, she and two of her teenage sons, drove 66 miles with it to see her family! The details of this trip were enjoyable to learn about and I really like that she was not afraid of hard work or getting her hands dirty. Her route is now celebrated with the "Bertha Benz Memorial Route" unveiled in 2008 in southwest Germany.
By the end of the book, their motorwagen won the 1888 gold medal at the Munich exhibition. The Author's Note provides a lot of background of what was part of history and what she fictionalized. I enjoyed the storytelling of how Bertha's younger years ultimately shaped her decisions later in life. She was not afraid to go after what was needed to support her husband and family. Bertha had several dogs (Affenpinscher, Dachshund, German Shepard) through the years. I loved that the dogs always were part of the family and seemed to recognize those not so honest businessmen! If you are looking for a book about little known women in history, I would recommend this book.
(One possible trigger warning: dog dies of old age)
Thank you Net Galley for a complimentary copy. The opinions expressed are my own.