We move from 1949 to 2018 and come across girls who auditioned for being a Subway Girl in 1948 to an advertising agency in 2018 that needs a new campaign to help the transit system get more ridership.

The girls in 1949 were more than happy to have their photos plastered over the subways because it might get them a job in a different industry. The advertising agency in 2018 became interested in the Subway Girls as an ad campaign for themselves.

Olivia who worked for the advertising agency had a brilliant idea to help the transit system and made a connection with the 1949 Subway Girls campaign for their current advertising. She found the campaign as she was doing research, and wondered what really happened to the Subway Girls and if being a Subway Girl really changed or enhanced their lives. Finding this information gave Olivia some hope for her agency’s winning the bid for the ad campaign.

Olivia and her assistant, Priya, hit the jackpot when they found actual posters of The Subway Girls and stories of their lives.

She uncovered more gems when a neighbor knew and had been one of the The Subway Girls.

THE SUBWAY GIRLS is a delightful read. I enjoyed going back to 1949 and seeing how women had to really struggle to get out of the required mold of being a housewife and mother.

Ms. Orman Schnall's writing is refreshing and enjoyable. The story line is interesting and had me researching if The Subway Girls really was something that happened.

According to Wikipedia, these women were called Miss Subways, and the program lasted from 1941 to 1976. Ms. Orman Schnall also added information in the ending pages about how she became interested in The Subway girls and gave some background information about them.

THE SUBWAY GIRLS has everything historical fiction and women's fiction fans will love. There is love, heartbreak, secrets, and the story of how women have been trying to "break out" from their stereotypical roles since forever.

The book goes back and forth from the 1940’s to 2018. The story line connects smoothly with each era and has genuine, lovable, and relatable characters.

It is truly a book to savor and enjoy. 5/5

I received an advance copy. All opinions are my own.

Great potential but did not live up to it. The true story of the Subway Girls was very interesting, but the characters in the novel were unlikeable, often downright mean. Spoiled the story.

I couldn't really get into this one. Charlotte and Olivia's stories were just too boring me. I usually like a book that can toggle between past and present. And the blurb sounded interesting enough. But it just didn't hold my interest. I voluntarily read this book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book absolutely captivated me from page one. Dual timelines and New York City had me sold off the bat but it was Olivia and Charlotte that wowed me. I loved the history of the Miss Subways contest as well as the familial bonds here, family struggles and difficulty of relationships, all set against the glamorous background of New York, my own city. The words jumped off the pages for me as I imagined my own subway rides and how I would love to see this advertising campaign on my own commutes. Dive into these pages and find out why!

The Subway Girls is a great read. It's a flash back story, which seems to be very popular now. Olivia is struggling to make a living as an advertising agent and stumbled across an old campaign to promote the NYC subways. The flashbacks are to a woman who served as a Ms. Subway. The two stories connect many times and the transition is smooth each time. I appreciated the author's historical note ascertaining this was a real campaign from 1941-1976, revealing the changing times for women.

The Subway Girls is a dual narrative following Charlotte and Olivia - two women who live 70 years apart - as the Miss Subways competition changes their lives. I loved the concept, and for the most part, it was well-executed. The feminist theme which underscored the story was truly great, but I felt like the characters didn't do complete justice to the ideals of feminism - there was so much talk about independence and being strong and tearing down the misogynistic patriarchy, but then so many bad decisions were made which went against that talk.

I've given it 3 stars because I did enjoy the story as a whole. But there were so many predictable and convenient tropes and cliffhangers, to the point where I could've told you exactly what would have happened before I'd finished the book. It was a great idea, but could have been executed a lot better.

Thank you to Netgalley for the e-copy.

“I’ve always found in my life that answers become clear at unexpected times. You have to trust that they will and then keep your eyes wide-open for the signs. Sometimes they will be subtle, but they’ll always present themselves. And you have to be brave enough to take a risk even if it seems like there are a lot of reasons not to.”

If you love A League of Their Own or Mad Men...
If you’ve ever been enchanted by New York City (or travel in general for that matter!)
If you’re drawn in by a modern love story...
If you love hearing the stories your grandparents told...
If you have ever struggled with balancing your career and personal life...
If you love beautiful, eloquent writing...then there’s no way you will not love this book!

The story unfolds via the alternating perspectives of Charlotte, a determinedly modern woman for 1949 who is struggling to find her path in a world that hasn’t quite caught up with her... and Olivia, a current-day advertising executive with a rising star and an ill-advised crush on her narcissistic boss. Throw in a beauty pageant, an illegitimate pregnancy and a conniving coworker and somehow you have the makings of a fairy tale.

There’s nothing I didn’t love about this incredible book. Immediately you are sucked into the worlds of two driven, empowering female characters. You will laugh with them, cry for them, and cheer them to victory. Pick up this book. You won’t put it down until you turn the final page. And even then, I dare you not to want more from Susie Orman Schnall.

***I was graciously granted an advance reader copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really liked and enjoyed this book. It is historical fiction that tells the story of The Subway Girls, local New York women who actually rode the subways and then were featured in posters that were displayed in the cars along the subway.

The story of the women was fascinating, but the fictional story was a little contrived and too convenient.

I read the book in a day because it was interesting, albeit a little fluffy.

If you are from New York, you will definitely love the book. I am not from New York and I still loved the story of women in the workforce post WWII. It is a fast read.

I wasn't sure I was going to like this book, and I didn't. I absolutely LOVED IT ! Such a beautiful book. And so well written. Went back and forth from the past to present with an ease and there was no confusion. Such strong characters. I love when a book comes full circle and you can see how the past influenced the future. I laughed and I cried through out the whole books. Hours well spent reading this book for sure.

Amazing well-written story about the lives of women in NYC. This shiws he hardship of trying yo break into my he professional world, the changing roles of parents and daughters, and the desire to be more.

This book absolutely captivated me from page one. Dual timelines and New York City had me sold off the bat but it was Olivia and Charlotte that wowed me. I loved the history of the Miss Subways contest as well as the familial bonds here, family struggles and difficulty of relationships, all set against the glamorous background of New York, my own city. The words jumped off the pages for me as I imagined my own subway rides and how I would love to see this advertising campaign on my own commutes. Dive into these pages and find out why!

My Kindle read this book to me on a long road trip, and it was a great read. The book covers Charlotte, a young woman who struggles in 1949 between her boyfriend, family, school and her desire to become a career advertising executive, then we switch over to Olivia in 2018 who is also struggling with several things in her life, she, too, is an advertising executive that has just lost another account, has a non-existing love life except for her secret passion for her boss, Matt, and has just been placed in competition with her co-worker for another high profile advertising campaign.
That may sound like a lot of things going on, but there is way more to the story than the short glib above. The book is written very well, I learned a lot about “The Subways”, this was an advertising campaign to entice riders onto the New York Subway system in the 1940’s, they would interview girls/women each month for the opportunity to become a “Subways” girl, then have thousands of their photos/posters placed in the Subway cars for viewing to help pass the time while riding. I had never heard of this and it was great to ride along and learn how this experience changed the lives of over 200 women.
Even though this story specifically covers Charlotte and Olivia, it was an absolute joy to spend several hours reading about them, plus Rose, Sam, Priya, Ben, Matt, James and the others. I laughed, I chuckled, and I did actually shed a tear or two of happiness towards the end.
I give this a high 5*****’s and I highly recommend. This book created the desire that if I ever make it to New York City, I will definitely visit the Transportation Museum so I can actually see one of the “The Subways” posters in the restored antique subway cars.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from St. Martin’s Press through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

4.5 stars

I received an ARC of "THE SUBWAY GIRLS" from NetGalley for an honest review. I wish to thank NetGalley, St. Martin's Griffin, and Susie Orman Schnall for the opportunity to read this book.

I absolutely LOVED this book!! I read it in two days and could NOT put it down. The parallel stories told in 1949 and the present were perfectly matched. I knew nothing about the historical time period or Miss Subways. It was wonderful to learn more about the time period as I absolutely LOVE historical fiction.

The author writes beautifully, tells a good story that draws you in completely, and has amazing character development. One of the things that I especially love is that she uses HYPHENS - that little punctuation mark was huge to me! This is a very easy and fun read. The book has the perfect timing of coming out right before summer so it is a lovely, well-written, and perfect beach/pool read!!

Please read this book! It is wonderful! HIGHLY recommend!! 4.5 stars

This was an enjoyable dual storyline contemporary and historical fiction book! I thought the use of the alternating storylines, one from 1949 and one from 2018, worked extremely well. I found them both interesting and the way they connected was intriguing and added to the plot. Likewise, I found the main character from each era and her situation was relatable. I especially liked that I was given a unique glimpse into a time period from the standpoint of a young woman who desired a career and also the existence of the Subway Girls advertising campaign.

This was a beautifully written dual time line book. In 1949, Charlotte is picked for the Miss Subways competition. Her picture and bio would be in the subway cars in New York City. In 2018, Olivia works for an advertising agency working on a new campaign for the MTA and finds out about the old campaign of the Miss Subways. Their lives intertwine in today's time and makes for a wonderful story. I loved Charlotte and Olivia as they were strong, amazing women who know what they want from life and aren't afraid to go after it. The dual time line works amazingly as you find out about both women. I received an advanced readers copy from NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin. All opinions are my own.

I LOVED this book. I read it in only two sittings but could have easily read it in one day if I had the time. The book was impossible to put down. From the first page, I was immediately pulled into the story and captivated by the characters. I loved how every chapter switched from the past to the present, constantly leaving you wanting more! The story was full of twists and turns. I ended up sobbing like a baby while reading the last chapter. It wasn't sad - just so incredibly touching and emotional.

An insightful look into the lives of the Subway Girls of New York City. Interesting characters and the blending of the past and the present and how two women struggled with the challenges of balancing a family and having a career. Would recommend this book to friends and I give it 4 stars.

The story of two women in two different timelines. A heartwarming, delightful story depicting the struggles of women everywhere, balancing career and family, no matter what the year.

I thoroughly enjoyed this look into the past at the fascinating story of the Subway Girls advertising promotion that lasted from the mid-1940's through the mid 1970's on the New York subway lines, and the intersection with a 2018 advertising executive struggling with her own issues of being a working woman in New York. Their separate lives as viewed through alternating chapters, and their collaboration later were wonderful to read.

This is my first novel by Suse Orman Schnall and I loved it!!!!!!!!! Love her style of writing and the way you get sucked into this wonderful story. I love historical novels like this one!!! Told in the eyes of Charlotte Friedman and Olivia Harrison two women who live in two different times and lifestyles. We learn about Charlottes dreams of working in advertising in a time where it is a man's world. Olivia Harrison is working in advertising in a time when women are total equals to men but both women come into drama in their personal and family life. I will highly recommend this novel to everyone and am anticipating the next novel from this author. Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martins Press for the opportunity to read this amazing novel