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 is the first book I've read by Gill Paul and I'm so excited to check out her other work! I absolutely loved 'The Manhattan Girls'. I've long been fascinated by the Algonquin set and Paul brings 1920s New York, and its many talented residents, to life vividly. I listened to the audiobook, which is brilliantly narrated by Lisa Flanagan. I thoroughly enjoyed the escapism, and learning more about the women who were trailblazers in a bygone era. I also particularly appreciated seeing the more vulnerable side to sassy wordsmith, Dorothy Parker. A superb read. Highly recommend!

Girls having fun in 1920's new york, not taking life too seriously and finding ways to find bootleggers for their drinks during prohibition. However there is a serious side to the book, love affairs and broken relationships feature and almost a coming of age from carefree to settling down and staying safe. Some really sad incidents when you see the true character of some of the girls or their friends. but isn't that real life? I liked the historical references of a time long gone and the aspirational outlook of women back then, even though life chained to the kitchen was the safety. Thank you #NetGalley for the audiobook to review.

This is a really engaging book, charting the lives of the women of the Algonquin circle in the Tumultuous 20s. Dorothy Parker is obviously the most well-known figure in this tale but in the stories of Jane, Winnifred and Peggy are equally compelling.

In Gill Paul’s glittering portrait of jazz age Manhattan I was swept along by this image of young women and young women striving to create a modern age where they could be judged on their merits and their brains as well as their beauty. The tagline of this book is that it is a 1920s version of Sex and the City but I have to say that I think that the woman portrayed here Infinitely more interesting than Carrie et al.

They were pioneers, they were incredibly brave and they were deeply flawed. I really enjoyed this book and it introduced me to a whole new literary world. I would definitely recommend, this is a great summer read or something to curl up with in front of an autumn fire.

At the heart of this novel is the infamous Dorothy Parker. She is someone of whom I had heard but knew little about, and nothing about her, her associates and friends. She was born into the Rothschild family and it is said she didn't have the easiest of childhoods, which perhaps in part gave expression to her exuberant behaviour as a young woman, and her deep need to be loved.

This is the story of this extraordinary woman and her three friends, all part of the 'in' crowd in Manhattan - Jane, Peggy and Winifred. They formed the Algonquin Round Table, a Bridge Club in contrast to the men in their social group, who favoured poker. This allowed them to come together, quaff illegal alcohol and ponder their lives. Individually they made forays into what was still very much a man's world, which tested their ingenuity and resilience, encountering so many obstacles in their everyday lives. Women faced innumerable challenges if they didn't want to conform to the norms of the day.

Their stories are set against the era of Prohibition, an edgy and sparkling (for some) time of history, and much takes place in and around the Algonquin Hotel, a New York City designated landmark - near Times Square - which opened in 1902. This was the era of the Flapper, when young women started to embrace life, often appearing outrageous and flamboyant, and who were the epitome of the colourful Roaring Twenties. What the author does well is capture the sense of the era, you can almost hear the music in the background, smell the home-brewed gin and sense the knife edge situation of the 'broads', who were intent on pushing the boundaries. It was still of course very much a man's world and she really does capture the heady and precarious world of womanhood in the era.

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.

This book is as described about 4 female friends and set in New York in the 1920s. I was offered the audio version to listen to. The narrator was absolutely fine for the role and the premise a good subject matter. I really think this would make a great TV series with the costumes and settings bringing the whole scene to life. However, I just didn't warm to the characters and couldn't get engaged with the storyline to particularly enjoy listening to it.

The Manhattan Girls is the first book I read by the author so didn’t really have any expectations. Although it was well written and atmospheric, I found the story a little bland and struggled to maintain any interest. Perhaps I just wasn’t in the right mindset as there wasn’t anything wrong with it but I didn’t enjoy it. I listened to the audio version of the book and narration was decent.

An unforgettable story. It's beautiful all through, but the closing chapters are just astonishing, transcendent and hope-filled and life-affirming. The best book I've read in a long while, could not recommend this one highly enough.
Thanks for the opportunity to access this audio ARC.

The Manhattan Girls. Picture Sex in the City but based after WW1. Four female friends navigating and surviving a world dominated and controlled by Men.

I love how the author was able to portray the struggles and difficulties women faced in society and what was expected from them. The four characters all have all been through experiences similar to woman now a days. It was very easy to relate to them and put yourself in their shoes.

Personally I believe this book would make a fantastic TV show.

Thank you for the opportunity to listen to this book.

‘Four Women. One City. An Impossible Dream’ - cover tag line

My thanks to HarperCollins U.K. Audio for a review copy via NetGalley of the unabridged audiobook edition of ‘The Manhattan Girls: ’ by Gill Paul. The audiobook is narrated by Lisa Flanagan.

This sparkling work of historical biographical fiction opens in 1921 New York City and follows the lives of four extraordinary women: basically this is Sex and the City, Roaring Twenties edition.

Its chapters cycle between the four women’s perspectives. They are: Jane Grant, a reporter for the New York Times whose dream is to create a magazine focused on the unique culture of New York City; Margaret (Peggy) Leech, a historian and writer; Winifred Lenihan, a Broadway actress; and of course, Dorothy (Dottie) Parker, a famous wit and writer of short stories and poetry.

At the opening of the novel Dorothy Parker is penniless and unemployed with her marriage on the rocks. She and her three friends: Peggy, Winifred, and Jane have formed a bridge club linked to their social circle (The Algonquin Round Table). The decade witnesses changes in their fortunes and relationships.

I found this a fascinating novel. While I knew of Dorothy Parker and been amused by her witticisms, I knew nothing about her life. I also was unaware of how The New Yorker magazine was established.

The novel unfolds against the backdrop of the Jazz Age and Prohibition and includes cameos from a number of well known mobsters. The novel is not all Art Deco, bobbed hair, and speakeasies as there are darker elements and mature content.

It does have a large cast of characters and I appreciated that Paul opened the novel with a ‘Cast List’ as it certainly helped to keep track of who’s who.

In the Historical Afterword, Gill Paul makes it clear that this is a novel and not four interlinked biographies. I appreciated this in-depth Afterword that outlined why she had focused on these particular members of Parker’s circle. She also includes a series of Reading Group Questions along with suggestions for further reading and watching.

With respect to the audiobook, Lisa Flanagan is an award winning voice actor who has narrated a wide range of audiobook titles. I have listened to a number of these and found her work consistently good. Her voice has warmth and depth and I felt that her reading was excellent, infusing the story, setting, and characters with life.

‘The Manhattan Girls’ is a novel that I expect will appeal to reading groups. It is well written and explores a wide range of themes and the questions provided can serve to facilitate group discussion. Plus, who can resist the lure of the dazzling 1920s?

Overall, I enjoyed this highly engaging novel that completely immersed me in 1920s New York City. I found it a moving tale that celebrated the power of friendship between women.

Highly recommended.

This was my first book by this author and I will definitely read more, I have already started browsing her backlist.
Having know nothing about Dorothy Parker and her friends I went into this somewhat blind, it's the tale of four female friends set in the twenty's against the backdrop of prohibition era new York speakeasy's jazz and the literary set.
The book flowed well between the women and we got a glimpse into all their lives and the ups and downs of women in an era where women were coming into their own more.
I did enjoy the story and the narration was excellent I think some trigger warnings may be useful as some things may be sensitive to some readers.
Overall a really well written and enjoyable book thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this audio book for an honest review.