This book parallels the stories of Olivia, a modern day gal working in advertising and Charlotte, who was a Miss Subways girl in July 1949 with a dream of working in advertising after finishing college. With New York City's MTA as a potential client, Olivia envisions an ad campaign focusing on the Subway girls, a program that ended in 1976.

Chapters alternate between Olivia's ad campaign and problems created by nefarious coworkers and Charlotte and the problems created by her friend Rose when they are both trying to win the title of Subway Girl. Both of these women have boyfriend problems with Charlotte's problems becoming nearly unsurmountable.

This is a thoroughly enjoyable book that I read in one day. With strong female characters intent on helping their families while pursuing their own paths in life, this story also introduces readers to the fascinating Subway Girl promotion that ran for three decades in New York City.
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a difficult read for me, as historical fiction is usually hit-or-miss. I miss the days when books were narrated straight through; I find the alternating between settings every other chapter to be disorienting. This is for many, just not for me.

What a sweet and lovely novel. I could not put this book down and finished it in about a day!

I loved the juxtaposition of 1950s with present day, showing that women are still facing many of the same issues today.

I also loved the characters, despite their sometimes one dimensionality. I felt their pain and their joy, and I wanted them to succeed!

I also really enjoyed learning about a piece of history I had never even heard of: Miss Subways. First I wondered if the contest was a real thing or a convention created specifically for the novel. It is real, and it is so cool! I’m glad the author brought this to light.

Thanks to NetGalley for the free review copy!

‘The Subway Girls’ is timely and historically accurate (yay historical accuracy!) story about two young and extraordinary women in pursuit of their dreams as they forge their own paths to achieve their goals.

I love historical fiction. If the time period and the recounted historical event are properly researched, there’s nothing this genre cannot do: be a blood-curdling thriller story, a timeless romance spanning decades, a retelling of something particular the author found interesting enough to inspire a novel. Or all of these! The possibilities are truly that vast.

Our 1949 protagonist is a 21-yr-old Charlotte who is 2 months away from finishing her college studies. Determined to launch her career in advertising and climb her way to a position of a creative executive (one needs a solid Mad Men rewatch to get the lingo), she soon discovers that her path is somewhat rockier than that of a man’s. She is expected to help her father run the once-prosperous paint store and forego her own ambitions as it is a woman’s place to stay at home until she marries. However, Charlotte has none of that and when an opportunity presents itself, she decides to run for a monthly Miss Subways to advertise her father’s store but at the same time refuses to give up on her dreams of a proper career.
Our 2018 protagonist is 20-something Olivia (I believe her actual age isn’t mentioned) who indeed works in advertising. It is her research for an account that uncovers the somewhat forgotten Miss Subways project. If Charlotte of 1949 isn’t yet in advertising, Olivia’s life is extremely work-oriented as she labors tirelessly to prove herself to her male colleagues and boss. Her dedication and determination are all the more understandable when we realize that decades later a workplace still isn’t as equal for men and women as it ought to be.

Mrs Schnall took the Miss Subways project (a real thing that originated in 1941 and ended in 1976, it awarded a woman every month the title of Miss Subways, posters of the chosen would decorate the New York City subway cars) and turned it into a vibrant story about the many twists and turns to a career success of a woman at the eve of 1950s and one in modern day of 2018. Do they even have anything in common? We, the women, would like to believe that much has changed since the after-the-WWII times. After all, it is a dream that no glass ceiling prevents a woman of good education and field expertise to get promoted and get the pay equal to her male colleagues. Alas it shouldn’t. It should be reality, plain and simple.

One of the things that caught my attention almost immediately was the appropriate difference (according to the time period, naturally) in the wording of dialogue in each perspective. It set the mood. It wasn’t merely about the words because there was no such thing as an ‘emoji’ in 1949, obviously, but the whole feel of it was different and I appreciated it a lot.
The other thing was the character development, especially of Charlotte in 1949. She was a joy to read about and oddly enough I found her way more relatable. It was her story that truly captured and propelled me to read more. In turn, Olivia’s chapters, though enjoyable, sometimes weren’t compelling enough and whenever I stopped reading, it was at her bits of the story. That, of course, is my subjective take and someone else, perhaps less of a history buff, could as well enjoy Olivia’s parts more.

That being said, I did love how the two stories corresponded with each other, how intertwined those two paths were. Especially from about 60% of the book and onward! Then I simply couldn’t put it down and you know that trope of efforts coming to fruition? The gathering of old Miss Subways contestants, their rallying for a common cause to reinvent the previously sexist at its core project? That was, in Olivia’s own words, “epic”! I loved that; it’s always a tear-jerker moment for me whenever it happens in books or films and it wasn’t any different this time.

Loose remarks:
- I saw that twist coming! I literally said to myself: ‘no, no, don’t do it Ben, your grandma is like 90, this is heart attack material if you spring this on her!’ and then it happened. Luckily, she pulled through.
- As for the romance featured in ‘The Subway Girls’, I must say I didn’t care much for it. It was cute and moderately heart-wrenching when the story took it there but it wasn’t front and center which I reckon could have been the point so I didn’t mind it as such.
- Now onto what I perceive to be the biggest drawback of the story: I wish it had been more descriptive! As in: décor of an apartment, a shop window description, you know, here and there bits and pieces that would build that end of the 40s New York City for me. I have this thing about historical fiction being a descriptive genre and that is exactly why I love it. This book was great despite lacking in that department because its plot was masterful. If it had been heavier on the descriptive side (Libba Bray’s ‘The Diviners’ and her descriptions in there comes to mind…), I would have given it a 4.5 rating. Without it, it’s a 4 star read.

I would recommend it to everyone who enjoys women centered historical fiction and likes their stories peaking in a fist-to-the-sky epic kind of way. If someone prefers their books light on the descriptions, then it is a match made in heaven even more than it was in my case.

**massive thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review**

Confession time: I had read the blurb for The Subway Girls and requested an ARC because I thought it sounded interesting. Then I couldn’t remember what it was about and for some reason thought it was about some underground communications during a war type of book. It was not which was actually better. It actually follows two timelines set in New York City which intersect later in the book.

The book follows the storylines of two strong women in different time periods. Charlotte was an ambitious woman who wanted a career in advertising which wasn’t a career women could enter easily beyond the typing pool in 1949. Her dreams were thwarted, however, when her father insisted she help out with the struggling family business. She was dragged into the business, but was fascinated by an ad campaign called “Miss Subways”. She entered the contest to become one of the monthly Miss Subways, hoping it would provide her the money the business needed so she would be free to pursue her own goals. Olivia is working at a present-day struggling ad agency and discovers the old Miss Subways campaign while doing research to help her in a pitch for the NYC subways account. Both stories show the personal and professional lives of the characters and their struggles, and the two storylines eventually merge together.

This was a fun, easy read. I liked the two storylines and strong female characters. It was a little predictable, but that wasn’t something that bothered me because I was invested in the stories and characters, and their struggles with work/life balance and trying to breakthrough in through the barriers facing women in the workplace. This was just the right book to enjoy during my vacation.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

i loved going back in time with this book. the writing was flawless & the storyline was fascinating!! i truly enjoyed this book by a new-to-me author! thx!!!

Loved the writing style and how the lives of the two main characters connected to each other. This historical novel would make a great Hallmark movie. A lot of reasearch must have gone into this story as it flowed with wonderful facts.

3 stars.*

A solid, enjoyable story. The Subway Girls is the first book by Susie Orman Schnall that I've read and I specifically went looking for it when I read a review of upcoming summer novels. The blurb read, "Perfect for fans of Beatriz Williams". If I am anything, I am a fan of Beatriz Williams. But I should know better!

The Subway Girls is told in what I'm coming to recognize as the current "it" trend of Historical Fiction: alternating voice and time period. I've devoured all of Beatriz Williams and Michelle Gable's books told in this fashion. The historical voice is Charlotte. A 20-year-old in Bay Shore Brooklyn in the summer of 1949. The current voice is Olivia. A New York ad executive in her late-20s trying to figure out how to balance work and life in 2018.

As has been the case with Historical Fiction that just leaves me "meh"...I really liked the historical story. I just didn't love the current one. I found Charlotte to be a more vivid and relatable character than Olivia. I was also left with a general sense of confusion about Olivia's difficult family history and felt like that entire storyline could have been eliminated and it wouldn't have changed the quality of the novel.

I'd recommend this to my fellow Historical Fiction loving pals, but it won't be on my favorites list.

*With thanks to NetGalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

It's a bit of a hard one for me to review. There were definitely aspects of it that I liked but it isn't something that envelops the whole book. There were probably a few more things about that I liked then I disliked. I definitely can't say this is my kind of historical fiction.

I wasn't a huge fan of this book. The storylines were kind of repetitive. This book could be a lot better than it is.

Thanks to St Martin’s Press and Netgalley for a free copy of this book for an honest review. I actually didn’t know what this book was about before I started reading it but I was quickly completely captivated. It’s the story of two strong independent women living in NYC, one in the 1940’s and one in 2018. Charlotte has just graduated from college and hopes for a job in advertising but soon becomes aware that those jobs aren’t readily available to women in the late 1940’s. As a way out of working at her father’s hardware store she enters the Miss Subways pageant. This was a very popular advertising program that was used by the New York Subway department from the 1940’s to the 1970’s. Every month there was a new Miss Subways and many of the girl’s used it to try and leaverage jobs in modelling and acting. Charlotte is chosen as Miss July 1949. Now nearly 70 years later Olivia is working at an advertising agency and trying to land a contract with the New York Transportation Department. As Olivia does her research she discovers the old Miss Subways advertisements. Delving into the campaign further Olivia finds Charlotte and they become friends. Not only is the story about these two strong women and their career paths but there is romance and a secret intermingled into the book. I found this book so engaging and I sped through it. It is very well written, well researched, and I loved the characters.

LOVED this book. I liked the alternating story from past to present and how it all tied together in the end. Great book!!!!

4.0 - first book in quite a while that I've read in one sitting; light and entertaining, with some interesting historical fiction throughout

This was an engaging book following two strong women in different eras. The heroines were well-developed and empathetic-- showing the tribulations women have had and still have in balancing career, relationships, and happiness.

It is 1949 and Charlotte is almost finished with Hunter College in NY. Her dreams of success in the world of advertising are dashed when her father’s failing paint store in Brooklyn desperately needs her assistance and her romance with Sam has all but fallen apart. It is 2018, and Olivia has lost the biggest account her agency was depending on to keep the doors open. Suddenly, she and her boss Matt, struggling with their on again off again relationship, have an opportunity to pitch the MTA subway and save all they have worked for these past few years. When the world’s of these two very likable women collide, the history of Manhattan comes alive and it’s hardly a surprise that 70 years later some things absolutely never ever change. Based on an actual ad campaign from 1941-1976, this fabulous New York story is easy and enjoyable, although slightly predictable. If you like historical fiction - a must read for summer.

This was a delightful historical novel. It was very romantic! I loved both protagonists. However, I liked the historical storyline better than the modern. The plot was an easy read and moved at a fast paced. The only thing didn’t like about it was there was some harsh language that made me uncomfortable. I highly recommend this to fans of Lisa Jewell, Beatriz Williams, and Lucinda Riley!

I received an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley. This book had me from the very beginning. I love that it kept me engaged the entire time. I couldn't wait to see how it ended. I would highly recommend to all my fellow readers. Thank you for the chance to review this book!

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to preview this ARC of the Subway Girls.

Charlotte is a victim of her time. Living in the 1940's, her dream of becoming a high powered advertiser is continuously unrealized, but thanks to the Miss Subways competition, she may at least be able to escape the heavy handedness of her future working for her father. But everything really shatters after a fellow competitor commits the ultimate betrayal, forcing Charlotte to make some tough decisions.

Flash forward to a modern day Olivia, working for a small advertising firm and fighting her own demons. In an effort to win a huge pitch, she comes across an intriguing story about a Miss Subways competition. She never expected that she might be closer to the story than she could have dreamed of.

Sigh, I've read this book a hundred times. It's. BEEN. DONE. I feel as though there is a purchased formula that the author uses to just plug in their own bit of research into. It's a formula that WORKS is the problem. It's fun, intriguing and readable. But holy cow, time to mix it up!

Perfect for fans of Beatriz Williams and multi-generational stories! Miss Subway's beauty contest is a foreign topic not explored by most readers, and is fascinating! The Subway Girls is strong historical fiction that is hard to put down.

This is a tough book to review. There was much I appreciated about it, especially learning about a 40s era cultural aspect that was new to me. Because it covered both current and retro situations, it was difficult for me to switch gears between what was normal then for women, and what is accepted now. I know that the era was quite different, but at times it came across as just too twee, and I struggled with that a great deal. Situations and resolutions bordered on too convenient.