I really enjoyed this book! It's a dual timeline story that involves two different women, and the two timelines mesh together very well. It was interesting learning about the Miss Subways promotion, an actual advertising campaign that used models to promote the New York City subway system that went on for many years.

Charlotte is a young woman in 1949 who sees her future differently than her father does. She goes to college and has a longtime boyfriend, but she's always wanted to work in advertising. Her father wants her to work in the family paint store in Brooklyn, and get married and settle down. When Charlotte has the chance to audition for the Miss Subways promotion, she jumps at it hoping it might change her life.

Olivia is a young woman in 2018 who works for an advertising agency. She needs a hot idea for her next pitch and discovers the Miss Subway archives, and decides to bring in into the modern era. When she starts researching the actual Miss Subway models, her life, and Charlotte's, meet unexpectedly.

I highly recommend this book. Thanks to St. Martin's Griffin and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Two women, worlds apart yet facing many of the same obstacles. Charlotte in 1949 and Olivia in 2018. This book perfectly encompassed the fact that while women’s rights and gender inequality have improved significantly…. we still have mountains to move.

Charlotte is 21 and about to graduate from college. She dreams of being in advertising but settles for applying for typing pool positions. She has a loving boyfriend and lives at home with her parents. Her friends convince her to apply for the Miss Subway contest and when she is selected as a finalist the contest changes her life in unexpected ways.

Olivia works in a small and struggling advertising agency. At work, Olivia competes against her rival Thomas, another account executive and has a crush on her boss. The advertising agency is desperate to land an ad campaign for the NYC Metropolitan Transit Authority so Olivia must prepare a winning idea to defeat Thomas. While preparing a pitch for the NYC Metropolitan Transit Authority Olivia learns about the former Miss Subway contest.

My favorite thing about this story was the Miss Subways contest and finding out at the end of the book that it was a real thing. I loved the parallel plot lines following two likeable female characters and discovering all of the similarities and differences between them. I found the plot to be predictable but finished the novel because I was interested in seeing how it would end. I also found many things in the book to be contrived… the gay best friend, the date with Jack, and Mrs. Glasser.

I loved the idea of the book, but was ultimately let down by the predictable plot.

I’m a sucker for a good historical fiction novel, especially one that connects the past and present and ties it all up in a neat little bow. The Subway Girls did not disappoint. I particularly liked the juxtaposition of Charlotte and Olivia. They were so similar, yet their circumstances were so different. This was a very enjoyable read.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the ARC.

I'm always a sucker for plot lines that flash between the past and present, and The Subway Girls was no exception. Perfect for fans of Lauren Willig or Beatriz Williams!

This was a wonderfully engaging, quick read that I devoured in two sittings. Once I got about 3 pages in, I was totally hooked on the story. It gave me the same type of vibes as The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, so I was all in.

I almost never have a problem with books that have “too much coincidence” or are otherwise unrealistic/too easy. So while I noticed the “easy” set up of linking the two characters, it didn’t bother me. I am willing to suspend reality for a good story.

The main characters, Charlotte and Olivia, were a nice juxtaposition to drive home the message that women’s struggles and issues haven’t changed as much as we may like to think in the last 70 years. The alternating time period storytelling was a nice way to illustrate this point. It would have been nice to see the side characters developed as fully. It would have added a lot of depth to the story.

Depth was my biggest disappointment with the book. The premise and themes were so interesting that I would have liked to see even more. There were many life details that were discussed briefly (with friends, upbringing, etc.) that were barely mentioned again or mentioned only briefly. While this book was a wonderful read, more detail about the characters and the goings-on of their lives would have taken it to a whole other level.

Thank you to Netgalley for sending me an eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I am reading an ARC of this book. It has a great story line but I feel as if I am reading two distinctly different books. I'm trying to stick with it and will write a more complete review once done. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

The Subway Girls is the story of Charlotte and Olivia told in alternating timelines. Charlotte’s story is based in 1949 when she was selected as a finalist for Miss Subways. Olivia’s story is based in the present, where she is an advertising executive hoping to land a big ad campaign. This is the captivating story of how Charlotte and Olivia’s lives intersect. I found it very interesting that the struggles of Charlotte’s life in 1949 closely reflect the struggles of life today.

Ben: “You look at these older women and you just assume it’s all sweetness and wisdom, but, man, these ladies have secrets. Deep, dark, secrets.”

I couldn’t put this book down and read it in one day. This is the first book I’ve read from author, Susie Orman Schnall; I look forward to reading her backlist and future books.

I would highly recommend this book for fans of Beatriz Williams.

Thank you St. Martin's Press for the advanced copy of this book.

Subway Girls had the potential to be a really great book! The story and concept of the "Miss Subways" from the 1940's-1960's was new to me. I googled it to see if they really did exist and they did.
The writing and storyline did not do Subway Girls justice. Charlotte, Jojo, Sam & Rose were interesting and I liked them best. Other characters were shallow or too cliche' to feel real--and some were just ridiculous (Thomas). Most of the story seemed unrealistic and unbelievable. From the time Olivia is introduced, the execution falls short and the story loses credibility. There are choppy transitions with abrupt changes in the setting and time between paragraphs. I had to stop and re-read to determine where the story had jumped to. Some things were rushed and happened quickly while others were drawn out and even dropped with no conclusion.
Overall, this was an enjoyable read and an interesting story but I the writing and characters need work.
Advanced reader copy courtesy of the publishers at NetGalley for review.

I was captivated by this book from the first few pages. The story parallels two women, Charlotte whose story takes place in 1949 and Olivia's story in 2018. Charlotte is getting read to graduate from college and is trying to get into advertising via getting into a typing pool at an advertising agency. The family paint/wallpaper store is falling on hard times and her father wants her to work in the store. Modern day Olivia is working for an advertising agency and is in love with her boss. The story spans decades and is a combination of historical and contemporary fiction and what an enchanting delightful read it is with strong characters and a good story line. I loved this book and highly recommend it.

This was a fantastic story, one of empowerment and female identity, told from two perspectives over 50 years apart. The reader easily is pulled into the late 1940s as Charlotte struggles to lay claim to her dreams, while 2018 Olivia struggles with the confidence to follow hers. Some twists-and-turns, romantic intrigue and a convergence create a feel-good ending. Based on a true advertising campaign for the NY subway system, the author weaves fiction with reality well. Overall, a quick read that really picks it up in the back half. Loved it!

This novel revolves around the true story of Miss Subways - real women that had posters up on the NY subways with blurbs about them. The story alternated between the historical from the point of view of a finalist for Miss Subways and modern day from the POV of an ad exec that learns about the Miss Subways contest.

Reading about the contest was the best part of the book. The beginning of the book really developed the characters, and I was pulling for all of them. Unfortunately, the end seemed rushed, like a tv series that is suddenly cancelled so the writers throw everything into one last episode. Having said that, the book is an easy read and had the closure I wanted. I would recommend this book if you’re looking for something light and quick to take the edge off of a hard day.

I thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend this book. The author does a wonderful job of weaving together the stories of two strong New York women.
It would make a great pool side and vacation book this summer.

I received an Advance Review Copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

This book was not what I expected it to be. I thought this was going to be historical fiction about the 1940's "Subway Girls" promotion by the MTA. I did not realize that the storyline would jump back and forth between the 1940's and present day. I loved the sweet story that unfolded as the book progressed.

I will say that I was a little disappointed with some of the characters. While most of them were beautifully developed, there was one male character (I'll withhold the name so as not to spoil the book!) that I felt had a sudden change of character. I felt the change was so unexpected and extreme that it became unbelievable and actually detracted from the story. The most disappointing part was that I felt it was unnecessary. The change could have been gradual and the story would have been the same--possibly better.

Setting that one point aside, I still enjoyed the book. It was a quick read--a good book to add to summer reading lists for sure!

Charlotte entries the Miss Subway beauty contest, makes friends with another contestant named Rose until something happens. Olivia, seventy years later, working in advertising discovers the Miss Subway contest. Two women from different generations struggling to find themselves.

The Subway Girls was such an enlightening book to read! I learned so much while reading about these characters and what their journey had to offer! It definitely gave me a new perspective on life then and how things are now!

I enjoyed Susie Orman Schnall's previous novels, so I was thrilled to see that she had a new one coming out this year. The concept sounded interesting enough, but what's inside is even better!

Through Susie's lens, I learned something I knew nothing about...The Miss Subways contests. Seeing information about her research at the end makes me want to visit the New York Transit Museum the next time I'm out that way.

The story is beautifully written with compelling and sympathetic lead characters who are both striving for their dreams in the advertising field. I love how their stories ran parallel to each other, but were each interesting in their own ways. They both had conflicts in the way of reaching their goals and I liked seeing how they would conquer them.

Some aspects of this novel felt predictable, since a lot of information was revealed early on in order to tie Olivia's story to Charlotte's in some way. However, I still found myself surprised at the turns the story would take and I wasn't always sure what would happen.

Overall, I really enjoyed The Subway Girls and I hope Susie doesn't wait another three years to publish a new book. I really enjoy her writing style and I even got teary-eyed at times. If you're looking for a good escape read this summer, pick this one up!

Dream movie cast:
Olivia: Lyndsy Fonseca
Charlotte (1949): Maude Apatow
Rose (1949): Daniela Bobadilla
Sam (1949): Anthony Ingruber
Ben: William Moseley
Matt: Peter Hermann (because, hot boss!)
Thomas: Tyler Hoechlin
Mrs. Glasser: Marion Ross
Jojo (1949): Stefania LaVie Owen

The Subway Girls pulled me in from the first page! Beautifully written with a dual timeline, 1949 and present day, this is the story of Charlotte and Olivia. Charlotte is a young woman in 1949, ready to break free of the constraints put on her by her father and the times. Olivia is an ad executive trying to win a large ad campaign. I loved reading as their stories entwined. Susie Orman Schnall is a new author for me and I can't wait to read her other books!

Loved this book...I liked the dual-narrative writing with alternating chapters taking us from 1949 to current day and how it all comes together as the book progresses. Touches on how women have always been searching for a sense of independence.

The Subway Girls by Susie Orman Schnall is a delightful story of 2 women born about 70 years apart. It is based on the monthly posters in the New York subways of pretty young women in the 1940’s and beyond. We meet Charlotte and Olivia as young ladies struggling for a career in a world of men. They are not willing to just get married, stay home and raise a family. How they interact as their stories continue is this novel. We live through their highs and lows and laugh and cry with them. Great characterization! Couldn’t wait to see how everything turns out. And then there was an unexpected twist! Put this one on your to read list!

Totally unexpected thrill ride!! So much more than just the story of The Subway Girls, this is a great collaboration between the past and the present, how things have changed, yet are still the same. Absolutely charming characters set in and around New York city. This book slowly sucks you in and will not let you go until the last line!!!