The Roaring ‘20s have always seemed like a paradoxical time in history to me. On the one hand, you had many who adhered to traditional family beliefs and values, yet on the other, there was the advent of the jazz and dance clubs, where the booze flowed, and women’s hems are short.

In The Show Girl, Nicola Harrison does a beautiful job showcasing this dichotomy as we follow young Olive McCormick as she chases her dream to become a star among the Ziegfeld Follies, even as it disappoints her staid family.

Born in Minnesota, Olive has talent as a singer. And when Florenz Ziegfeld notices her while performing, Olive is determined to be a star in his show one day. When her family moves to New York, a very bold Olive knocks on Ziegfeld’s door, looking for that job.

As Olive makes a name for herself as a show girl, a handsome man stands out among the crowd. Archie Carmicheal has charm, wealth and he wants Olive to be his wife. But Archie doesn’t want his wife-to-be up on stage as a show girl. Olive doesn’t think she can give up being on stage. She’s been hiding a secret from Archie - 𝘮𝘢𝘺𝘣𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘴.

The pace here is steady, but you walk alongside Olive for each step of her journey, even every costume change. If you’re a lover of historical fiction, especially during the 1920s and the entertainment industry, you’ll be sure to enjoy this book.

Thank you to @suzyapprovedbooktours and @nicolaharrisonauthor for a gifted copy.

The Show Girl is a historical fiction novel by Nicola Harrison, set on the East Coast during the roaring 20s. We follow the life of the small Midwestern town girl, Olive McCormack, now known as Olive Shine, who has achieved her goal of fame and independence. Through some luck, talent and persistence she has become a dancer, singer and performer in the Ziegfield Follies. The Broadway escapades are vibrant and the novel comes alive through the detailed descriptions.

As Olive struggles in her naïveté and full of bluster and bravado to have as much fun as possible while becoming a star, she meets Archie who changes her world and steals her heart, but love isn’t always the easiest path. We follow the two, on their roller coaster relationship , but also as they evolve as performers, professionals and people.

The Show Girl is a vivid, descriptive, well-researched look at the age and it’s expectations and assumptions. The author offers some thought-provoking commentary on the biases against strong, independent women, those who don’t fit the traditional roles of the day. The characters are flawed and imperfect, and at times the plot feels a bit slow, but it’s a unique story with a fairly original theme that offers something worthwhile and entertaining to readers of all kinds..

I was given an advance reading copy of this book from NetGalley.com in return for a fair review. First off, anyone who knows me knows that I rarely read romance novels. This one, however, caught my eye, as the main character is a Ziegfeld girl--an era and legendary entertainment brand I am interested in. Unfortunately, I was disappointed. The Ziegfeld part was hardly explored and Olive, the main character, was just not as likeable as I had hoped. Olive, like many girls of that time, yearned for a different kind of life. As corsets went out of fashion, young women in the 1920s wanted to 'leave the farm' and be independent. Smoking, drinking, dancing--as well as men--were all part of that new world. As a show girl, Olive met the typical handsome, rich, young man, but a secret from her past prevents her from marrying him. It's always something! Suffice it to say that someone who enjoys romance novels (and I believe many readers do--just not me) may find this book more interesting than I did.

The year is 1927 when Olive moves to New York City to join the show of the Zigfield Follies. She is enriched in the glitz and glamour of the city, but doesn't fail to make a few mistakes along the way. The past must come to light when she becomes engaged to the wealthy Archie Carmichael.

I am such a fan of books set in the 1920s and Harrison does an excellent job of making you feel like you are really there in her description of the setting, scene and culture. It is a very well-researched novel. Despite all of the fun music, the dancing and the shiny things, there were also huge negatives about this time period - and that is the treatment of women.

You can really observe how women are treated as second class, discouraged from having an opinion, critiqued on how they dress, who they fraternize with and how, and often controlled by the decisions of their families, namely the father/head of house. While cringeworthy to read now, it was absolutely a hallmark of the times back then, and you have to be thankful for the progression in women's rights.

The storyline was solid. I love following Olive from the beginning, in her initial mistake for which SHE is the one made to feel at fault despite the circumstances, to her rise to fame in the Follies and ultimate downfall. I detested her parents. I couldn't put this book down!

Thank you to Netgalley and St.Martin's Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. This comes out August 10th!

The Show Girl, written by Nicola Harrison, is a delightful blend of genres. It is one part historical fiction, one part romance, and one part chick lit.

Olive McCormick has finally taken the biggest risk of her life. The year is 1927, and she's moving to New York City. Her dream has always been to become a dancer, and now she's joining the Ziegfeld Follies.

From there, her life seemed to fall into place. She had a job she loved – one that made her talent shine and made all the sacrifices that came before it worth it. Now she even has a man to love, as she's just accepted Archie Carmichael's proposal. Only, that seemed to be when everything took a turn for the worse for her.

The Show Girl is a quick and entertaining read. This is absolutely the sort of novel that historical fiction fans are going to love, especially if they like little surprises strewn throughout.

I loved this fictional version of New York in the 1920s. Not being a huge history buff myself, I cannot even remotely begin to speak to the accuracy of this portrayal. I can, however, say that it was a highly entertaining setting, and I enjoyed every minute of it.

Olive's story is a compelling one, and I couldn't help but find myself growing more and more attached to her character. Especially when she found herself forced to make an impossible decision – I wouldn't ask that on my worst enemy.

THE SHOW GIRL By Nicola Harrison
Historical fiction
400 pages

In The Show Girl we meet Olive, a young woman living in 1920's who is a singer and performer. Olive's dream has always been to be on the stage making people happy. She is determined to become one of Ziegfield's Folly Girls. Olive makes it onto the stage but at what costs? Join other historic fiction fans in following Olive's famed journey as it makes her into a performer and everything she ever wanted.

This novel is one of the best historical fiction books I have read in a long time!!!! I devoured this novel!!!!! Nicola Harrison takes you along a strong, emotional but brave and up uplifting journey of a young singer's life. A singer who is brave, determined, and beautiful. This is a amazing story of determination and of a young girl's dream of being happy. I highly recommend this book.

This book is perfect for readers that enjoy historical fiction set in the 1920s! The world building was vividly descriptive! I loved reading about the costumes and New York City during this time.

Olive is chasing her dream of being a big singing star on the stage. She finds that making it big is a bit harder than she expected, but she doesn’t give up. She finally gets a showgirl job, and she enjoys the feeling of being on the stage. After meeting Archie, she finds herself in a tangle of secrets. Can they make it in their relationship with their secrets revealed?

My favorite part about this book was the setting. I loved the 1920s vibe that was dripping across every page. It was beautiful to read. I enjoyed the moments where Olive was on stage as she became her Show Girl self.

The romance was good. I could feel the passion between the two. Both characters felt like real people, and I could connect with them. I loved their journey together!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance copy. I enjoyed Harrison’s writing style and learning more about the life of a Ziegfeld girl in the 1920s. However, I wish the Ziegfeld girl was anyone but Olive. She was just so hard to relate to with all of the ridiculous choices she made throughout 90% of the book. I also thought the ending was just a little too neat and convenient. Overall, this was a fast and enjoyable read, but Olive needs some editing!

A delightful read in 1927 NYC, young girl Olive arrives to hopefully join the Ziegfeld Follies. Her story of life and love with Archie Carmichael. Good story, fun read.

The Show Girl by Nicola Harrison is a wonderful beach or poolside read , perfect for a summer vacation even if you are travelling no further than your own back yard.
Once again the author's incredibly gifted and evocative writing style draws the reader into the ostensibly glamourous life of Olive Shine, a young Midwestern woman who moves to New York in 1927 determined to become a Ziegfeld Girl. From a young age she has dreamed of fame and a life on the stage and a chance encounter with the maestro himself fuels that passion and gives her the drive to move to the city. Soon her star is on the rise, and she is sought after by wealthy business men and stage door Johnnies alike, especially when she becomes the star of the more risque late night shows. Underneath the feathers and paint she is hiding a secret from her past, and when she meets and falls in love with businessman Archie Carmichael she begins to fear that that secret will tear their relationship apart.
Set in the 1920's in the years leading up to the economic crash on Wall Street, this compelling story takes the reader on a rollercoaster of emotions. While Olive, the protagonist is not always likeable it is impossible not to respect her determination to follow her dreams , and the courage it takes to pick herself up and try again every time something gets in her way. The story does tend a little towards melodrama at times, which I was not a fan of but overall it was an enjoyable read that took me away to another place and time, a much needed distraction these days.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

THE SHOW GIRL takes place in that briefly happy time before the Great Depression, when the new century (1920’s) seemed to offer so many opportunities if only one was brave enough and young enough to try and grab them. Our protagonist, Olive, dreams of a career in New York as a Ziegfeld Girl, whatever that entails. She only sees the dancing, bright lights and singing, not the tawdry aspects that accompany that life. She will do whatever it takes to get there, even if that means not making her parents happy with her lifestyle choices. This is a well-documented book and does a good job of creating a sense of that world, now a century away. Author Nicola Harrison builds a world readers can immerse themselves in completely. The book is a joy to read. I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

The Show Girl was one of my most anticipated books of 2021 and boy, it did not disappoint. It was one of those books I couldn't put down, but read slower than normal because I didn't want it to end.

We're transported back to a time of glamour and magic in the late 1920s before the Great Depression strikes. Olive has her eyes set on being a star with the Ziegfeld Follies and does whatever it takes for it to happen. This moving story takes us through Olive's up and down as a showgirl, a great love with Archie Carmichael, her independent nature and drama within in her own family, who do not agree with her career choice.

It was a beautifully written story and I highly recommend this. Read it now and get swept back into an opulent time.

HUGE thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with the digital eARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Show Girl is another historically based fiction novel from Nicola Harrison set mostly in Manhattan during the Roaring Twenties and totally kept me reading when I should have been doing other things! Olive, the main character, is an impulsive, impetuous performer who does subscribe to the restrictions of her time period and has a personal goal of performing at the highest levels possible. I found this to read pretty true to the period and was full of as many delicious details as I could have wanted. The romantic element was necessary and in accord with the characters depicted. I thank #netgalley and the publisher for this ebook of #theshowgirl to read and review.

(3.5 stars) If you love reminiscing over by-gone eras, if you adore strong female protagonists that are flawed yet bold, and if you are in awe of how far society has come from old antiquated thinking, this book is for you.

I love a good jaunt back into history. And the Roaring 20s with all of its charm and mystique always appeals to me. The jazz age atmosphere that Harrison creates throughout this book drew me in….The costumes, dresses, fur coats, red lipstick, and high heels! The bath tub gin! The music and the dancing! It painted a vivid picture of the era, and I loved being immersed in each part. Harrison also adeptly executes the dichotomy of the time period…from the working class family to the exorbitantly wealthy businessmen, from the kitchen table to the risqué nightclubs, from properness and manners to liberated morals and cosmopolitan ways.

Olive is filled with ambition. She is not cut out to be an idle housewife. She longs for adventure and creativity. Olive portrays the modern, independent woman longing to forge her own path and make her own money. She might commence this journey in great naivete, but she is bold in doing so, even when turned out by her own family. Ziegfeld was known to pick out the most perfect specimens for his follies, and Olive was no exception. Her journey to stardom is both charmed and a bit torturous. But it’s not all about how much the crowd loves her (Oh but they do!). It’s also about overcoming past mistakes, learning who you are, and allowing yourself to be loved.

Thank you Nicola Harrison, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an advanced copy of this book.

I want to say thank you to NetGalley and the author Nicola Harrison for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoy the writing style of Nicola. I have read her previous novel, Montauk. She did not disappoint with The Show Girl. I love the era of the Ziegfeld Follies. This was such a wonderful journey we were able to take with the character of Olive.

I had the most pleasurable and relaxing weekend reading The Show Girl by author Nicola Harrison. When I first was invited and received the widget to read this, I was a bit hesitant. Although I had read the authors debut novel, Montauk, and thoroughly enjoyed it, I wasn’t sure reading about a Ziegfeld Follies show girl would be of any interest to me. Was I ever pleasantly surprised! It’s the story of Olive McCormack who later changes her name to Olive Shine for more stage appeal. It goes on to tell of her many ups and downs in life while living her dream of being a show girl. She has always felt most at home while being on stage. However, at the age of 19, something unexpected happens and she finds herself in quite a bind. She makes a decision to do something that will have a huge impact on her future. Because of this, she has to live with secrets. I grew to care about Olive and felt for everything she went through. I loved hearing about her stage performances and how everyone would get together to party after the shows were over. The love and romance that she had with Archie made it all the more real and appealing. I wasn’t very impressed with her parents though, I felt like they should of been more understanding of what Olive wanted in life. But the ending to the story was perfect how it resembled a happily ever after. This is a story I feel will be enjoyed by many as it falls under several different genres. It’s historical fiction, women’s fiction and romance all in one. Nicola Harrison is definitely an author I would recommend. I’d like to thank Kejana Ayala, Marketing Assistant at St. Martin’s Publishing Group for the invite and widget and NetGalley for the arc to read, review and enjoy. This is a book I would recommend and I’m giving it a 5 star rating!

Being a fan of Montauk by Nicole Harrison, I was thrilled to be invited to review The Show Girl. The early theatre and glamour of the Zigfield Girls has always been intriguing, and The Show Girl didn’t disappoint.
Olive Shine has loved to sing and dance from an early age, but when she reached her late teens, her parents discouraged her desire for a career, wanting her to marry an eligible man and start a family. She leaves home to perform in LA and meets Zigfield after a show, who encourages her to come to NY. In her excitement she hits town alone, meeting an older man and months later, finds herself pregnant.
Her mother quickly shuttles her off to an aunt in the East,to birth the baby and give the baby girl up for adoption, and it’s on to her family’s home in Brooklyn. Unable to put aside her aspirations, and disowned by her family, she off to NYC to finally be a Zigfield Girl.
This is a wonderful story of the world of the Zigfield Follies and the girls that perform, the struggle and hardships they endure to remain at the top. Rose is in her element, as she sings, dances and excels, until she meets Archie, who turns her world upside down. She has decisions and choices to make and a secret that can derail everything.
Well researched, with wonderful characters and a compelling story, result in a page turner. My thanks to NetGalley, #NicolaHarrison #StJohn’sPress for the ARC. I loved it and all opinions are my own.

With The Show Girl by Nicola Harrison, we have historical fiction set in the Roaring '20s with protagonist Olive McCormick traveling from the Midwest to NYC to become a star in the Ziegfield Follies. I am always interested in the art and culture that comes out after war times, so I was intrigued by the premise of this book.

It's an intriguing story of a woman dealing with fighting for her freedom and dealing with love. It's definitely one I would recommend for those interested in the era.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me. All thoughts are my own.

How could you not want to read The Show Girl by Nicola Harrison? It combines everything I love: historical fiction, showgirls, a romance plus a fantastic cover design. I was hooked on this one right away and think you will love it as well.

The synopsis:

It’s 1927 when Olive McCormick moves from Minneapolis to New York City determined to become a star in the Ziegfeld Follies. Extremely talented as a singer and dancer, it takes every bit of perseverance to finally make it on stage. And once she does, all the glamour and excitement is everything she imagined and more—even worth all the sacrifices she has had to make along the way.

Then she meets Archie Carmichael. Handsome, wealthy—the only man she’s ever met who seems to accept her modern ways—her independent nature and passion for success. But once she accepts his proposal of marriage he starts to change his tune, and Olive must decide if she is willing to reveal a devastating secret and sacrifice the life she loves for the man she loves.

Coming out on August 10.

Olive wants nothing more than to be a star.
It’s the 1920s and New York is full of nightlife and entertainment. Olive is able to become a star on Broadway, and even falls in love with a gentlemen. So what is missing?
I enjoyed being transported into the Roaring twenties with Olive as she learned the ups and downs of life as a show girl. There were many twists that keep you guessing what Olive will choose to do next, where does she really want her life to lead?
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC, as well as Nicola Harrison for another delightful novel.