I was curious about this novel because it recounts the early days of the Algonquin Round Table and the life of a young Dorothy Parker and her best pals, especially Jane Grant. Though the novel was billed as Jazz Age Sex and the City, I didn't quite catch that vibe. 

Four young women in post- World War Manhattan become friends, helping help each other through troubled times and celebrating each other's victories. Much of the book focuses on the women's love / marriage relationships. The other main theme deals with the roadblocks professional women faced in the 1920s, such as the infamous casting couch.

These women, especially Parker, were surrounded by lots of drama and daunting setbacks. The novel offers interesting background on the lives of Dorothy Parker, Jane Grant (co-founder of The New Yorker),  Peggy Leech (historian and novelist), and Winifred Lenihan (actor and director). We also gain insight into several other members of the Round Table, such as Neysa McMein, Harold Ross, and Alex Woollcott.

In the end, the novel was only okay for me. Parker's behavior became tedious and much of the book described fairly flat characters: terrible men and victimized women. The book is (of course) fiction, and I have no opinion on Paul's research and accuracy. Still, I can't help but think that these eventually successful women had more strengths than were presented and that the men must have had some elements of decency. 

The unabridged audiobook was performed by Lisa Flanagan, who did a good job distinguishing among the characters. Her expressive delivery kept me engaged, and I wonder if I would have finished the book without Flanagan to hold my attention.

Thanks to the publisher for providing review copies in various formats.

 Set in the 1920s, four women develop a friendship that will see them through some of their worst and best times. Dottie Parker is known for her sarcasm and biting wit and believes herself to be strong and untouchable but discovers that is not the case when her husband decides they need some time apart and she falls head over heels in love with a playboy. As her world falls apart, she depends on her friendships with Jane Grant, the first female journalist for the New York Times, Winifred Lenihan, a Broadway actress, and Peggy Leach, an award-winning novelist. During this story, each woman goes through their own traumas and achievements and learns that sometimes friends are the only people you can count on.

 

Gill Paul's books always take me on an adventure. They are nice slow burns for me because each character has their own detailed storyline. Dorothy Parker was the only one of the women in this book that I had heard of and I found her story to be extremely sad and heartbreaking. The other women I had not heard of looked forward to learning more about their stories.  This book tells a beautiful story about life and the value of friendship.