What a fabulous book. I have close friends who are showmen so I was really looking forward to reading this and I wasn’t disappointed. The book opens in a circus tent in Ayr, Scotland in September 1910 where trapeze artist Violet falls to the ground and is not moving. Loosely based on members of the authors own family this is an emotional read, the life of a showwoman was hard and fraught with dangers, but these women were determined.

Briefly, just a brief six months earlier at Vinegarhill Showground Lena Loveridge’s father died and she sold his carousel for eight guineas. Meeting up with trapeze artist Violet they decide to set up a small women only circus and after advertising their venture they are joined by bareback rider Rosie and musician and dancer Carmen. But despite their early success Violet made an enemy of circus owner Serena Linden in her last job and Serena is not a woman to let her anger go.

Four women all with traumatic backgrounds who come together and find family in each other. They are all good well fleshed characters but I loved Rosie and her horse Tommy Pony and my heart broke for her more than once. Although I know it’s authentic I did find the treatment of the show animals a bit distressing but it’s not graphic. A beautifully written story of female strength in the face of adversity. I loved it.

I’d heard good things about this novel and it certainly lived up to expectations. It’s set in 1910 and features Lena, her mother disappeared my years before and her father has recently died, so she’s trying to navigate coming to terms with being an orphan and also trying to find her way in the world. She’s part of the circus family and has to sell her dad’s carousel in order to make ends meet. She fears she will have to find a husband and a job in a factory, but then she meets flame haired Violet and they decide to set up a ladies circus along with Rosie and Carmen. These women form an unbreakable bond and this novel is a tale of friendship, female bonding and defying expectations. It’s beautifully written building in family secrets and heartfelt love stories and will stay with you long after you turn the last page. Thank you to NetGalley, Hodder and Stoughton and the author for the chance to review.

Set in Edwardian Scotland, we follow the fortunes of the ladies circus. Lena has a decision to make, her mother left years before and now her father is dead, she can try to run the carousel herself, or sell it; this she does for 8 guineas. Along with her friend Violet they start their own show, a ladies circus. They are joined by Rosie and Carmen, both running from their pasts, Rosie from and abusive father and Carmen from a life on the streets.
Life travelling from fair to fair is hard but the four bond as they travel facing everything together.
Well written and enjoyable, my thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the arc.

A delightful novel of early twentieth century travelling circuses, and the life of adventure and hardship that entails. Complicated family histories and unsolved mysteries abound, and love and friendship override jealousy and feuds. Young talented women, who have left behind loss and unhappiness, come together to make a life on the road, incurring mixed reactions in their uniqueness- an all female troupe.
It made compelling reading, although the complicated relationships which develop kept me on my toes.

Wow this story was so truly amazing, engaging, suspenseful and very well written. This tells the story of Lena who had to make the decision of either selling her late father's Carousel or continue to build her own circus show. I love the powerful story behind this and how woman came together to prove that they are unstoppable and can achieve anything. I do think this book has spoilers as there is a part which had me in tears which involved the linen cupboard and her drunken father. Not to spoil too much, this story is very gripping and hard to put down. Definitely buying the trophy copy of this for my bookshelf.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this amazing ARC.

Glamour is everything. The thrill is more. But tragedy is all. We begin as the world's greatest trapeze artist plunges to the ground, from high above the crowds she falls, as she lands on the sawdust to the tune of a sickening thud...

The setting is Edwardian Scotland, the cast are 4 women who form an all woman circus. All have their stories, and their own tales to tell..
For Lena, her family were the fair, he father and his father before and now it was Lena's too. For many of her 21 years it had been just her and her father since her mothers disappearance, and their carousel. Now it was just her..
Rosie has not had the best start in life. Abuse and violation was part of her childhood. But Rosie had a special affinity with horses, they were as one when she stood on their backs, riding round the big top, she looked like an angel.
Besutiful Spanish acrobat Carmen has her own tragic story and her reasons for joining the show women's circus.
And of course Violet, brave and sassy who often gets on the wrong side of people, but can charm when she wants to, now lies in the dust....
Together these outcast women are formidable. But this business is cutthroat, and if you make enemies, you pay the price. Serena Linden is a not a woman to be crossed..

The book sparkles with life, thrills and drama.
Based on the authors own family, it's a beautiful story of women who took charge of their own lives, ran their own shows and wrote their own rules. I dream of reading amazing books like this, so when I find one, I savour it.
Thank you to netgalley Hodder Books and Emma Cowing for allowing me to read this gem ahead of time.

Suse

The synopsis of this book was so interesting, I couldn’t wait to get to it. I enjoyed our characters in the story and they felt like real people. It just felt very dragged out as a story, like a lot of the time there was dialogue that just wasn’t necessary and storylines that felt very overcomplicated. I just don’t understand what the ending meant and how we came to it. Overall I did enjoy the elements of the all female circus, the way our characters act and their backgrounds but the length of this book really brought the rating down!

The Show Woman vividly depicts the harsh and dangerous world of the Edwardian travelling circus in Scotland, at a time when women were often belittled and treated with violence. Lena, Violet, Rosie, and Carmen all bear emotional scars but their strength in the face of overwhelming adversity makes their distinct characters somersault off the page.

Lena’s life is turned upside-down by the earlier disappearance of her mother and then by the sudden death of her father. Stripped of her security within the circus she has always been a part of, she’s faced with stark choices: find a husband, or work in a factory. Together with outspoken trapeze artist Violet, she decides to defy the patriarchy and form an all-female circus.

Lena and Violet are joined in the venture by Rosie, a self-trained bareback horse-rider escaping from an abusive father, and Carmen, who conceals a dark past. The four women soon form an unbreakable bond forged by fear, hardship and grief.

The deft portrayal of these characters and their struggles makes The Show Woman a story of empowerment and sisterhood, made even more fascinating because the story is rooted in the author’s family history. Emma Cowing’s beautifully written debut novel is both heart-wrenching and inspiring.

I was compelled to read The Show Woman and I can't explain how happy I was when I received an ARC.

The story of Lena, who is joined by 3 other incredible women in the first female circus, set in 1900's Scotland. This story is filled with love, hope, fear and pulls at the thread of family secrets for each of these incredible women.

Please be aware this book does contain sexual assault and child sexual assault, it is not glamorised in any way.

Half way through reading this, I received an email from the publisher with a letter from the author and was pleasantly surprised that she wrote this book because of her ancestry.

This is a page turner and I couldn't put it down.

A fantastic story which I am so incredibly happy that I have been given the opportunity to read. Thank you so much Netgalley and the publishers.

I totally loved this book. I have always been drawn to the circus - even scouring job ads as an angsty teenager so I was always going to read this book. It was addictive, the stories that hold the four fabulous ladies circus women are beautifully told. Sad, wonderful and at the same time full of joy.

I recieved this as an ARC copy and I'm so glad I did, it was an amazing book. the ultimate story of girl power and friendships. I really can't wait to see what else Emma Cowing does. I will 100% be buying the physical copy to reread.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

This story, set in Edwardian Scotland, completely transported me to the circus.

The writing is so beautiful and atmospheric. We meet four women, who have formed the first female circus - each with their past, their scars, and their stories to tell. The characters were so raw and compelling.

I really enjoy historical fiction when it is written so well that it takes you out of your modern-day mind and into the past, and that’s exactly what The Show Woman does. I felt the women’s pain, their humour and their friendship.

I also loved that this book was semi-based on real women from the author’s family - what an amazing feat to be able to tell their stories as they might have lived.

Overall, a gorgeous, compelling debut with so much heart.

I went into The Show Woman with no expectations, and what a surprise it turned out to be. Set in Scotland, the story felt like it spoke directly to my roots — the places, the voices, the toughness and soul of the setting all felt incredibly real and familiar.

Emma Cowing crafts a vivid, emotional tale that pulled me in more deeply than I expected. The characters are full of heart and complexity, and the narrative never strays into the predictable. I found myself totally immersed.

This was a beautiful read.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

This is an extremely enjoyable, fast-moving novel set in Edwardian Scotland. It was inspired by individuals in the author’s family history who had worked as entertainers, and involves a small group of women in a rare all-female travelling circus. Inevitably, there is an element of feminism running through the book as the main characters struggle to overcome prejudice and abuse, but there is also romance, and a very intriguing mystery.

Emma Cowing’s novel is a unique wonder that will keep you hooked from the get go! It is unputdownable, with twists and turns that will genuinely leave your jaw dropped.
Such a unique setting, of Edwardian 1910’s Scotland, learning about the lives of show men and women and their traveling circus. For a ‘flattie’ like me, it really was a glimpse behind the curtain of the glamorous and not so glamorous lives of show people.
Despite its being a historical fiction, following lives that are so different to my own, I saw myself in many of the rich, vibrant characters. Cowing’s ability to paint detailed pictures of the well- developed character's lives is commendable. After finishing the last pages, you will be begging for more. You get the feeling that so much is left untold about the characters, all of which would be worthy of a book of their own!

Cowing covers an array of important and intriguing topics. From lesbian representation, showing the reality of violence against women, highlighting women who defy societal expectations and sex work. The novel really is rich in its ability to show the light and dark of life. Thank you NetGalley for this ARC, and for Emma Cowing for sparking my newly formed love for historical fiction!

I adored The Show Woman by Emma Cowing.

The Show Woman follows Violet, Lena, Rosie and Carmen as they navigate life in Scotland in 1910, as a female travelling circus.

I loved the history of The Show Woman. It’s not often I stumble across books set in Scotland. My mum is originally from Glasgow, so it was interesting seeing places mentioned that I was raised around.

I would love to see this be made into a TV series/movie. Cowing did a beautiful job of painting the picture, showing the beauty of the circus but also the deep dark underbelly of what can really go on there.

4.5/5!!

Lena has lived her whole life as part of a circus. When her father dies she decides to set up a women’s circus and joins forces with Violet, a talented trapeze artist, Rosie who performs stunts on her pony and the enigmatic Carmen. Lots of ups and downs as Lena struggles with running the circus, her feelings for Violets brother and finding out the truth about her mother . Entertaining

A stunning and immersive book. This was so good it was difficult to put down. The struggles and triumphs of an all female group of circus performers in Edwardian Scotland. The settings were beautifully realised and the characters felt so real.

Thank you NetGalley for this book! I really enjoyed this, loved the characters, the telling of the circus and had a little mystery in there.

Would definitely recommend!!

A heart-warming historical tale celebrating female resilience, friendship, and ambition in the colourful world of Edwardian circus life. With vibrant characters and a compelling mystery, it’s a rich and empowering debut