Historical fiction billed as 1920s Sex and The City was always going to draw me in - and when it is written by Gill Paul, whose ability to bring historical characters to life makes her a must read author for me, I knew this was a book I was going to enjoy. And it proved to be a compelling story of female friendship set in a fascinating era of societal change.

In The Manhattan Girls the reader is transported to 1920s New York and into the world of four fascinating women, Dorothy “Dottie” Parker being the most well-known. They are very different - Dottie the writer, Jane the first female reporter at the New York Times with ambitions to launch a magazine, Winifred the actress and Peggy who works in ad sales at Conde Nast - but they come together to support each other in what is still very much a “man’s world”.

Whilst Dottie is the best known, I loved getting to know the other three women - as well as gaining an insight into prohibition and the literary world of 1920s NYC. It is an immersive and engaging read and one that did what all good historical fiction does - sent me off to find out more about four fascinating women and an interesting era in history. Looking forward to what Gill Paul does next!

Thanks to the publisher for an advanced copy of this book to read,

A look at 1920s New York, through the eyes of 4 very different women who form life long friendships after the war. The world is changing and they are starting to have more rights than ever. Things are not easy though, being a woman they still need to try to juggle a marriage, a career and babies

These women bond through their experiences, and are there for each other no matter what. Dorothy, Peggy, Winnie and Jane make their way through a new world, they are strong and powerful.

It was a fascinating look at a different kind of life to the one that we live these days. If it hadn’t been for women like these then we may not have some of the freedoms that we are lucky to have now. Thankfully, things have changed a lot.

Sex in the City, 1920's edition. This historical fiction novel is based on Dorothy Parker and her gal pals as they navigate feminism, dating and marriage, and careers in 1920's NYC. Dorothy, famously known for her wit, was a struggling poet and unlucky in love and dealt with depression. Her friends Peggy, Winifred, and Jane all have their own struggles with fledgling careers and love lives. One is a stage actress, one is in marketing but also an aspiring novelist, and one helps her husband start a new magazine (which becomes The New Yorker). Over bridge games, these women learn to support each other and find their way.

I loved this book. Gill Paul is a master of historical fiction and chooses interesting figures to fictionalize. I loved getting to know these ladies and how they were constrained and freed by their era. I would recommend this is fans of Sex in the City or The Swans of Fifth Avenue by Melanie Benjamin or anyone who loves reading about female friendship.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy for review. This one was a hit with me.

Today is my spot on Rachel’s Random Resources blog tour for Gill Paul’s The Manhattan Girls. What a brilliantly written and fascinating account of 1920s life in New York this piece of historical fiction is. It made me feel like this group of female friends were the original members of Spice Girls or Sex and the City because they had so much girl power and sassiness about them. They were independent (even the married ones), successful and very modern in their thinking and attitudes. Of course, they had to experience life’s ups and downs but they did it with style. This novel deals with serious topics, such as loss of loved ones, abortion, suicide attempts and divorce and a very intelligent and interesting way. I simply found this novel fascinating.
It gives a real glimpse of life in Manhattan at a time of probation, secret speakeasy clubs, fascinating larger than life literary characters, Broadway shows and so on. I simply adored reading about this location and the time period this story took place in this historical fiction novel.
I loved author’s writing style, and found it very hard to put the book down once I started it. This historical novel held my attention and interest from the very first page to the last one. I loved the character development, especially those 4 leading lady characters. While I was reading this historical fiction I couldn’t help but think that the characters seemed very real, and I found out that this this novel is indeed based on real people, who lived in Manhattan in the 1920s. The fact that the characters were based on real people with real stories makes this historical fiction even more of a great read, and I’m giving it 4 stars. I recommend it to all readers, and especially fans of historical fiction.

Rating: 3.5/5
Genre: #Historical Fiction #Womens Fiction
Author: Gill Paul


The Manhattan Girls by Gill Paul is a captivating novel set in 1920s New York that emphasises the girl power of friendship and how it can carry you through the highs and lows of life. The narrative is well-paced and written from various points of view.

The author has developed an excellent blend of fiction and fact. The character development is excellent. I really enjoyed the setting of the 1920s; the author did a great job of researching the customs and mood of the time. As relationships, love, artistic professions, misdeeds, and successes continued to play out in the narrative, it did so with a continuous emotional flow.

This is my first Gill Paul novel, undoubtedly not the last. It is definitely something you should try!

Thanks to RandomThings Blog Tour, I received a free copy of Gill Paul's The Manhattan Girls via NetGalley and Avon Books UK in exchange for an honest review.

‘Four Women. One City. An Impossible Dream’ - cover tag line

My thanks to Avon Books U.K. for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘The Manhattan Girls: ’ by Gill Paul.

This sparkling work of historical biographical fiction opens in 1921 New York City and follows the lives of four extraordinary women: basically this is Sex and the City, Roaring Twenties edition.

Its chapters cycle between the four women’s perspectives. They are: Jane Grant, a reporter for the New York Times whose dream is to create a magazine focused on the unique culture of New York City; Margaret (Peggy) Leech, a historian and writer; Winifred Lenihan, a Broadway actress; and of course, Dorothy (Dottie) Parker, a famous wit and writer of short stories and poetry.

At the opening of the novel Dorothy Parker is penniless and unemployed with her marriage on the rocks. She and her three friends: Peggy, Winifred, and Jane have formed a bridge club linked to their social circle (The Algonquin Round Table). The decade witnesses changes in their fortunes and relationships.

I found this a fascinating novel. While I knew of Dorothy Parker and been amused by her witticisms, I knew nothing about her life. I also was unaware of how The New Yorker magazine was established.

The novel unfolds against the backdrop of the Jazz Age and Prohibition and includes cameos from a number of well known mobsters. The novel is not all Art Deco, bobbed hair, and speakeasies as there are darker elements and mature content.

It does have a large cast of characters and I appreciated that Paul opened the novel with a ‘Cast List’ as it certainly helped to keep track of who’s who.

In the Historical Afterword, Gill Paul makes it clear that this is a novel and not four interlinked biographies. I appreciated this in-depth Afterword that outlined why she had focused on these particular members of Parker’s circle. She also includes a series of Reading Group Questions along with suggestions for further reading and watching.

‘The Manhattan Girls’ is a novel that I expect will appeal to reading groups. It is well written and explores a wide range of themes and the questions provided can serve to facilitate group discussion. Plus, who can resist the lure of the dazzling 1920s?

Overall, I enjoyed this highly engaging novel that completely immersed me in 1920s New York City. I found it a moving tale that celebrated the power of friendship between women.

Highly recommended.

The Manhattan Girls is a wonderful book about four prominent women in 1920s New York. I liked the way the author gave an insight into the lives of these women while also showing us what life was like at that time.

Thankfully the author chose four women to focus on instead of just Dorothy Parker since I very much disliked her. Jane, Winifred, and Peggy were much better points of view to read from.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with this book through Netgalley

We perhaps all feel we know a little about the life and times of Dorothy Parker – her legendary wit (and I certainly have my favourite quotes), the circles she moved in, perhaps a few details about the key moments in her sometimes troubled life. About New York in the prohibition era too – it’s been the background for plenty of stories I’ve enjoyed. But Gill Paul is a writer with a remarkable ability to breathe life into her characters and to transport her readers into that world – she uses her meticulous research to create a world I felt entirely part of, emotionally involved in the lives of her characters, through a compelling story of female friendship and support that blends historical fact and her extraordinary imagination.

At the centre of the story is Dottie herself – a fascinating portrait of supreme poise and control, surrounded by other luminaries of the literary world, enthralling everyone as she holds court at the table in the Algonquin, always ready with the next clever riposte to wound or delight. But we also see her less than perfect life – her disintegrating marriage, her loneliness, her unwise relationships, her inability to manage her life, the fragility of her mental health and her cries for help – and her extraordinary vulnerability.

The author frames her story with those of the other members of the occasional bridge club they hold in their apartments, and the other individuals’ lives are every bit as fascinating. Jane Grant is the first female reporter for The New York Times – moving into a dilapidated house on the wrong side of town, she and husband Harold are living off one salary while trying to launch their own magazine (and you might just have heard of it – The New Yorker). Winifred “Winnie” Lenahan is a Broadway actress, talented and beautiful, awaiting her big break: and Margaret Leech is an assistant at Condé Nast, working on their magazines but with aspirations to become a best selling author. Combining fact and fiction – and the author’s fascinating afterword sets out where one starts and the other comes in – we follow their lives too, their different struggles, their highs and lows, their setbacks and triumphs, their private moments and their lives as they unfold.

I loved every moment of this wonderful read, entirely immersed in the world the author created. Its setting – the era, the lifestyle, the society, the speakeasies, the free-flowing bootleg alcohol, the presence of the criminal underworld, the changing place of women – becomes so much more than background, instead a world you completely experience. The relationships between the four women are superbly drawn, the support they provide to each other both moving and convincing – and each of their lives provides a compelling story of its own, whether focused on their personal lives or their public achievements. There’s a magnificent supporting cast too – every well-drawn individual playing their part in the wider story, although the focus is always firmly on the four women at its core.

And the story-telling – because this is, after all, a work of fiction grounded in the fact – is sublime, the time and place perfectly captured, the pacing flawless as its threads tangle and unwind, the emotional depth and the extent to which you become involved in their lives simply stunning. Quite wonderful – perhaps the author’s best yet, and a book I’d highly recommend to others.

If a book does not grab me immediately, I usually suffer through it until the end. I was telling someone about the
Manhattan Girls and the trouble I was having. Her response was to put it down and go on to another one. Well, I did and I almost feel guilty for doing this. Gill Paul is an amazing writer and I have read a number of her books and have immediately been engrossed in them.. When I saw this selection for NetGalley, I was so excited to start it. Not sure what the problem was, and it could have been that I had just finished a wonderful book that lingered in my memory. I apologize for not finishing it, but I may get around to it some day when I have nothing to read, or nothing else that jumps out and says read me!!!! I did read other reviews and as usual, everyone thought Gill Paul was amazing. Just not this time for me.. My reason for giving it two stars instead of one is due to the fact she is such a good writer and I have thoroughly enjoyed her many other books.

I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review as part of the book tour hosted by Random Things Tours.

The Manhatten Girls is an amazing novel set in the 1920s and follows Dorothy "Dotty" Parker and three of her closest friends. Set in New York, this book had the perfect backdrop for such a well written story. The book starts at the round table at the Gonk. We meet Dotty and her friends and each chapter that follows is about one of the four women and their life, problems, ups and downs. Dotty is known for her sharp whit and longs to be loved. Peggy is a magazine assistant who can't find a man due to being intimidating with her intelligence. Jane is the first ever female reporter for The New York Times and married to Harrold - they dream of launching their own newspaper one day. And Winnifred is a talented and beautiful Broadway actress who despises men especially men in the showbiz industry. There is so much I could say about this book but I don't want to spoil it any way for future readers. The story flowed really smoothly and I felt like I knew each woman really well personally and that I was right there with them! The four women go through so much together, some more than others, and I loved how they supported and helped each other, comforted each other and looked out for each other. I really didn't want the book to end but I enjoyed reading the "what happened next" paragraphs for each character. I was confused with Alec as a character as to what his game was with Jane and Harold as this wasn't exposed by the end of the book. This is my first Gill Paul book and I've been desperate to read one of her books for absolutely ages and I'm so glad I got to read this. I will now be looking for all her other books to devour!

Manhattan Girls was a thrilling novel about a group of friends set in the 1920’s. It describes a variety of issues that a woman has to endure during this time period. It also explores the importance of female friendships. If you like period pieces and historical fiction, you will love this book!

I enjoy reading about Dorothy Parker and this novel was fabulous. A mixture of nonfiction and fiction gives it a storyline that keeps you hooked. Four women and four point of views set in the 1920s. A great historical piece.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I always look forward to the newest Gill Paul novel. She has the ability to soundly flesh out her characters so that readers come to know them intimately. Four friends live in Manhattan: three writers and an actress. Alcohol was a huge part of their lives despite prohibition and all had men troubles.
I felt sorry for the ladies as they tackled issues and it showed a less showy aspect of the 1920s. I liked Jane and Peggy the nest and Dottie the least. In fact, I developed a keen dislike for Dottie. I think she was a bad friend and used people. The only person more vile then her in the book was Alec. He was a complete snake.
Manhattan Girls displays the difficulties women faced in their everyday lives and how the bonds of friendships played a major role.

After WWI, more women were starting to realize that there could be more to life than being a housewife and mother; this book explores the friendship between four smart career women living in Manhattan during this period (the early 1920's). It is a well researched, fictionalized account of the lives of writer and satirist Dorothy (Dottie) Parker, the NY Times' first female reporter, Jane Grant, writer Margaret (Peggy) Leech, who worked in the Conde Nast ads department by day, and actress Winifred (Winnie) Lenihan, who wanted to be more than a pretty face. I was a little worried about the list of characters at the start of the book (would I be able to keep them all straight?), but these four women are the focus of the story and the author does a spectacular job of alternating between their points of view and making you care about each of them. I was engrossed in the plot from the first page to the last, Highly recommend!

I absolutely adored this story focused on Dorothy Parker and her friends set in the 1920s. The dynamics between the women-from their unwavering friendship to their witty exchanges led to a wonderful narrative that I could not put down. There is just something utterly entrancing about this time period and Gill Paul really brought these women to life in my eyes. It was well researched, with details that left the reader feeling as though they were a part of the story. I felt connected to the characters and invested in their lives, which can often be difficult in historical fiction. Once again, this author does not disappoint.

The Algonquin Hotel in the 1920’s was a meeting place for women writers, artists, reporters and actresses to lunch and learn how to navigate their lives in a male dominated world.
Each chapter is dedicated to one of the women and their perspectives on the world that they are working and living in. Jane Grant, Peggy Leech, Dorothy Parker and Winifred Lenihan are yearning to find their place, live their dream as they support one another through the personal struggles of life, loss, love and sharing and supporting one another the ups and downs of the vulnerability and the bravery that they share.
Gill Paul has authored a wonderful New York time piece that swept me into a time and place of turmoil and dreamt about triumph.
Thanks to NetGalley, Gill Paul and William Morrow for an ARC in exchange for an honest book review.

The roaring 20s, but the issues in this book really could have been set in any time.

This book is definitely a girls club (bridge style) that is full of drama. It follows 4 different women that all fit into classic personalities. Dottie the drama queen, Winifred the gorgeous actress, Jane the feminist, and Peggy the smart one brought a TV drama like quality to this book.

Overall this book was just a drama, but so tough women's issues like abortion, rape, and suicide were touched on.

Even though I enjoyed the drama, I just wanted more substance from the plot. If you like TV dramas or sitcoms this book is for you.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me a copy of this ARC for my honest review.

Oooh this just oozes 1920s life, the glitz, the glamour, the city life. Felt completely immersed and underdressed in my trackies reading this.

A great story with fascinating women,, and plenty of turbulence. This author really has that way of these characters being alive again, and breathing air.

Glamourous, gorgeous.

A seamless blend of fact and fiction delivers a historically detailed, beautifully characterised story about four women in New York during the 1920s. The vivid setting and vibrant characters make this an entertaining read full of emotion, poignancy and friendship in a changing world.

I love the historical setting and the dynamic between the four women.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher,

I have two auto read authors when it comes to historical fiction and Gill Paul is one of them!

As someone who loves reading about the roaring twenties, I just loved this, The Manhattan Girls had such a Sex and the City vibe, following four women, through their relationships and careers. The women found a bridge club where they meet and gossip and talk about their goals.

I love how different each of these women were, but I absolutely adored their friendship, and how they rallied around each other when needed! From Dottie’s wittiness, Jane’s ambition, Winifred’s talent and Peggy’s loyalty to her friends, these women were absolutely phenomenal to read about. I also loved the speakeasies, and bootleggers and just everything about the twenties! I think my only *complaint* about this were the men, some (most) of them were so infuriating!

While Gill Paul’s books are always about notable women in history, I somehow have never heard of any of the ladies involved in The Manhattan Girls, but look forward to learning more about them!

Thank you so much to Avon Books UK and Gill Paul for an advanced digital copy via NetGalley in exchange for review!