Gill Paul does, in this book, what she does best - immerse readers in the setting. She takes readers back to 1920s New York city and introduces us to 4 women, Dorothy Parker, Peggy Leech, Jane Grant and Winifred Lenihan, who become fast friends - The Manhattan Girls. These career women have little in common, yet become a great support system for each other in a male dominated world. Stepping back in time, Paul meticulously recreates the backdrop of the ‘Lost Generation’ - a generation who’d lost the values of their past and were at a pivotal time and place, questioning mortality, defying social norms, and learning to live in the moment.

Paul masterfully offers 4 different points of view. It was a big step, and was, for the most part, successful. I did struggle with connecting to these women and wondered if it was because I didn’t ‘walk’ far enough in their shoes as I was taking them off to exchange them for another ‘pair’ just as I was getting comfortable with them.

Regardless, I enjoyed learning about the Algonquin Round Table and came to the conclusion that a century later, we’re still the same; climbing the corporate ladder, struggling to be noticed and appreciated, sacrificing way too much to get ahead, and throwing our arms up at the never ending battle.

I’ll be honest and admit that I had no idea about who these women were or their significance prior to reading this book. What I do love about Gil Paul’s approach to writing is that she gives readers enough to whet their appetite, but still leads us to the computer to research some more. What happened to these women? What legacy did they leave? A sign of a good historical fiction book is one that leaves me fulfilled but still drives me to find out more. Paul delivered. As I knew she would.

I was gifted this advance copy by Gill Paul, Avon Books UK, and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.