Another incredible read from this author that I would happily recommend!

Her talent for transporting and immersing you into a different time is exceptional. Three powerful narratives that intertwine perfectly. Each character is compelling in their own right and brilliant when brought together. It’s absolutely captivating. I couldn’t read it fast enough.

Thank you to William Morrow, NetGalley, and the author for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I knew very little about Jacqueline Susann and Jackie Collins and the impact they had on the publishing world. This is a fast-paced, engaging look at both women and how they transformed the book industry.

I was pretty excited to read it but I wasn’t expecting just how good it turned out to be!

Have you ever wondered what it would be like if two groundbreaking authors were friends? Scandalous Women tells the story of three women in the 1960s navigating the male centric publishing world. It’s got badass women, it’s funny, it’s witty, it’s engaging, I didn’t want to put it down! Highly recommend this book to anyone that’s a fan of stories of strong women breaking glass ceilings.

I went into this book super blind. I had no expectations, or any background knowledge about Jacqueline Susann or Jackie Collins. In this novel, Gill Paul develops dynamic characters that present the significance of facing sexism and misogyny, and those who challenge the strict norms for women in the 1960’s. The men dominating the publishing world refused to respect women writing about women’s pleasure. The ambition and resilience of both Jackies is front and center of the story.

In addition to their writing focused challenges, Susann and Collins both faced home life struggles as well.

What I liked: women supporting women; feminist leaders; nonnuclear family representation

What I wasn’t thrilled by: how much history was in the novel. Again, I went in blind. I had no expectations. During the time of the read, I wasn’t ready for a historical narrative. I thought it was done extremely well, but I wish I had saved the novel for a time when I was looking for historical.

All in all, 3 stars! Great characters, women focused, easy to read chapters. I will consider reading again in fall/winter when I’m more apt to enjoy a historical period book.

Loved this historical fiction!
It explores feminism and misogyny in the 1960s while blending historical facts in the publishing world with fiction.

Nancy, a young woman from upstate New York, comes to the city in the 6o's to work at a publishing house. After a few unproductive interviews, she lands a secretarial job at a small publisher but pushes to be on the editorial staff. What she soon finds out is that men dominate publishing and don't respect women writers, even though the greatest proportion of sales comes from women readers. Sometime actress and television personality, Jacqueline Susann, lives with her producer/lawyer husband in a residential hotel in NYC, knowing that with her history of cancer, she was living on borrowed time. Her husband made a good living but she wanted to make her new modern sex-driven novels turn into bestsellers before she died, so she could assure herself that her autistic son would have the best care for the rest of his life. A young mother, sister of actress Joan Collins, was trapped in a marriage with her bi-polar husband. When he almost hits her with an empty liquor bottle, she realizes that she must take their daughter and run for safety. Jackie Collins vows to become an author in the style of Jacqueline Susann and be able to safely provide for her family, in case her second husband's investments fall through.
Paul weaves these stories into a tale of how women could support each other in times of trouble. Though Nancy is a construct of all working women wanting to make their mark on the book trade, Jacqueline Susan and Jackie Collins were real-life trailblazers whose books shook up the ideal of cozy romances, in favor of women with ambitions of power and equal treatment-even when it came to sexual pleasure. In the age when women never went on book tours or had multiple novels on the bestseller list, Ms. Susann broke barriers by doing both. Though male critics and feminists berated Susann and Collins, their books put the focus on the changing style of women's literature, and fueled the Women's Movement.
I was very familiar with Jacqueline Susann's first book, Every Night Josephine, which was her 60's autobiography featuring her poodle. At the time I was too young to read her sensational Valley of the Dolls, and probably wouldn't have liked it because it novelized the desperate lives of actresses and celebrities, but had no poodles. Nevertheless, all women of a certain age were buying and discussing it, and it turned the publishing industry upside down. The author does a very good job of recreating this era of change and highlighting some of the pioneers who made it happen.

Spates of flat prose makes Scandalous Women a shade dull to get through, and that’s truly unfortunate. When it’s really cooking, it’s delicious to read, full of pungent remarks on both Jacqueline Susann and Jackie Collins, the world they live in. Interestingly, it’s not the two famous authoresses who make this book so unique.

Jacqueline Susann and Jackie Collins were the doyennes of smut – they burst through the door already opened by Harold Robbins (knowingly name dropped during the book), daring to tell stories about women who have sex and enjoy it – and sometimes the abusive jerks who deal it out. Soaked in champagne, musk and pills, Susann’s work would define the 1970s and 1960s just as Collins’ would define the 1980s. In that era, before on demand pornography just two clicks away, “Tacky Jackie” and her exuberant British doppelganger taught generations about sex – and had teenagers and adults worldwide trying to figure out who the two women were writing veiled smut about.

Being rich and famous authors did not make either woman’s life easier. Susann had an autistic son whom she institutionalized, but was buoyed by her marriage to Irving Mansfield. Jackie was dogged by stalkers, had a horrible first marriage, and coped with accusations from the press. In Scandalous Women, they manage to meet and create a transatlantic friendship.

The impetus for that friendship? Nancy White, a collegiate virgin recently moved to Manhattan to take up a role at a publishing house. The sexism is stifling, but friendship with Susann leads to Nancy’s sexual liberation. While Nancy acts as a bridge between Jackie and Jacqueline, the two women inspire Nancy to shake off her grief, strike out to become an editor of repute, and find love. But who will step forward to love Nancy: George, the handsome, globetrotting journalist who cares but keeps her at arm’s length? Or Steven, a too-good-to-be-true type with secrets?

Of all of the stories Scandalous Women gives us, it’s that of Nancy – the publishing company spinster who goes on a Susann heroine-like odyssey for independence and romance – who’s the most compelling character. It’s easy to love Jacqueline and Jackie, too, but Nancy takes the cake. Watching her mourn her mother, cope with the drug culture of the era and figure out who she is is pretty fantastic. I was disappointed by her semi-conventional ending, but for the 1970s the choice she makes is a downright revolutionary one.

The book does a decent job of tracking Susann and Collins during the 1970s, forging a realistic relationship between them and putting on a wonderful display of girl power. Money doesn’t mean anything when you’ve got the weight of the world on your shoulders, after all.

Yet sometimes the book lapses into “As You Know, Bob”-isms that grate the ears and mind. The author has to explain chunks of backstory and tries to do it in a reasonable manner, but sometimes paragraphs clonk to the ground. These two women would've never allowed such dull prose to be connected to their names! Also, and I must mention this because the book is about these two particular writers notorious for their once-considered-kinky writing – the sex scenes are disappointingly vanilla and tame.

But it’s the character portraits that save Scandalous Women from mediocrity, even if those portraits are a little hazy.

I looooved the friendships in this book. It really is a book that roots for women. No matter what your stage of life is. Be another woman’s cheerleader, not competitor. I also liked how it showed how hard it was to be a woman in the workplace in the 60s and 70s. The book is about two female authors, Jaqueline Susann and Jackie Collin’s, and how they are changing up the book world. They write about women, relationships, and sex. It shocks the world. I don’t know much about these authors but I am really interested in reading their books now.

Big thanks to the publisher for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this one a lot! My favorite aspect was the deeppp dive into the literary/publishing world, but it broke my heart that harassment and assault were so rampant in the workplace in the 60s/70s (similar to today, sadly......).

I'd categorize this as a juicy historical fiction, if that's even a genre?

This book was provided as an ARC by William Morrow in exchange for an honest review.

Scandalous Women follows two groundbreaking writers in the 1960s, Jackie Collins and Jaqueline Susann, and the trials and tribulations they face in the literary world through their publications of scandalous and controversial books of work. Alongside Jackie and Jacqueline, the story also follows Nancy White. The novel follows the story of the three women as they struggle succeed in a world that is against them (despite the changing times). Overall, I think this book was very well written and provides insights into the literary world in the 1960's. It's a different read, but if you're looking for a novel about the 1960's, smutty books, and themes of sexism and feminism, then this is it!

This fiction read the cover, so fun and interesting. Pulls you in Paige gripping enjoy this valley of the dolls inspiration retailing from the past the characters couldn’t put this book down. I cannot wait to have the physical copy in my hand just was just an amazing read.

I really enjoyed this book ... brought back many memories, both of the books written by Jackie Collins and Jacqueline Susann as well as memories of the 60s and 70s. Oh, how we all grabbed their books the instant they hit the shelf ... and so scandalous for those days!! I just might check out one or two this summer -- good beach & wine books -- and see how they read in this day and age ... they'll probably sound pretty tame!!

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the ARC. It was quite enjoyable!!

United States and England - 1965 to 1974

This is the story of two authors breaking the gender barriers. It is a fictional account but based on research and, while some characters are not real, there are many who are.

Nancy White has always wanted to be an editor. After college, she moved to New York City and began to work for a publisher, hoping to work her way up the ladder. But she discovers almost immediately that sexism and sexual harassment are rampant in the corporate world of the sixties. It is while she struggles to find footing in the business that she meets Jacqueline Susann who is working hard to publish her first novel after her successful book about her poodle, Josephine. The men are dead set against publishing what they view as a romance novel, but Nancy convinces them that the book is a sure-thing. VALLEY OF THE DOLLS hits the bookstores and is an immediate hit.

Jacqueline Susann begins her promotional tours for the book, determined that it will be a bestseller. But her life isn't all that the public thinks it is. She and her husband, Irving, have a son who lives in a special care facility in Texas, and always will. After having breast cancer, Jacqueline asks God to grant her ten more years and a best seller, and she isn't going to take no for an answer. She is, however, shocked by the initial reviews of her new book, and the animosity of some women over the sex scenes. Jacqueline does not let any of that detract from the fact that the book is selling like crazy.

Jackie Collins loves to write, but hasn't had much chance to finish anything as she cares for her baby, and a husband who is anything but reliable. But after her divorce, she meets and marries Oscar Lerman, an American investor, and he is a man who is supportive, and who helps her achieve her dreams. Her first book goes to publication in England, and is met with some of the same shock as Jacqueline's book did in the States. Yet, the book soars in sales, and the publisher urges her to produce another quickly. THE WORLD IS FULL OF MARRIED MEN will be followed by THE STUD.

It is Nancy's luck that she comes across a news report about "The British Jacqueline Susann?" Doing more research, Nancy is convinced that the publisher she works for should publish Jackie Collins book in the States. When they agree, and Jackie comes to New York to meet the staff, she meets Nancy, and thanks her for recommending her book. The subsequent meeting of Jackie and Jacqueline happens, and a friendship begins.

While SCANDALOUS WOMEN is fiction, the realistic approach to both authors is compelling. The author has done a lot of research on both women, and readers will feel that they know Jackie and Jacqueline intimately by the novel's conclusion. In today's world, neither of these authors would be considered truly scandalous, but in the sixties and seventies times were different, and both women stood by their beliefs. This book tells the story of the transitional times. I highly recommend SCANDALOUS WOMEN.

Although I never read any of the books by Jackie Collins or Jacqueline Susann, I remember those books being around even if they were a little before my time they were still books I was aware of. This is not necessarily a biography of these two authors plus their publicist but it felt like it could be. I like how this author framed each story as if we were actually there with these real life people but the stories around them were fictionalized.
It made me want to know more about them and how true to their real life this fiction novel really is.
Great read and I would like to check out the authors other work.

Welcome to Scandalous Women, where two female authors must battle misogyny and critical snobbery as they blast through that glass ceiling and take their places at the top of the bestseller lists!

Gill Paul is a genius at writing historical fiction and if not for the author's notes, I would have believed that history had happened exactly as she described. I can remember reading Valley of the Dolls, in the 1970s and it made quite an impression on me, but I had no idea what Jackie Collins and Jacqueline Susann had gone through to get their books published.

Truly, Scandalous Women is not only informative about the book publishing world back in the 1960s, but some parts are SO entertaining to read! I happily recommend this book!!

HUGE thanks to both #WilliamMorrow and #NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an early copy of ScandalousWomen!!

#GillPaul #JackieCollins #JacquelineSusann

I found this piece to be exceptionally well-crafted, and I'm eagerly anticipating the opportunity to delve into more works by this author. Given its potential popularity among our library patrons, we're certainly looking forward to adding it to our collection

This is the fourth book that I've read by Gill Paul, and just like the first three, this one is absolutely 5 stars! I have been a bit bored with what I've been reading lately, and Scandalous Women finally snapped me out of it. I wanted to do nothing but read this book, and of course, as much I wanted to finish it, I also didn't want it to end! Jacqueline Susann, Jackie Collins and Nancy were SUCH well developed characters - I felt like they were all women I wish I knew in real life. I really can't think of enough good things to say about this book...I wish I could read it all over again!

The splashy cover, title, and subjects made me think that I was in for a fun, dishy, scandalous read in the spirit of the novels of Collins and Susann. It's not that at all. There's sparks of drama, many of them provided by the fictional character who helps provide a lot of the structure through her role working with Collins and Susann on their books, but overall it falls flat. Collins is wedged into the book through a fictional friendship between her and Susann, but it never feels like a coherent story. This book wasn't bad so much as it was just dull.

I love books about books, books about authors, and books about the publishing world. Gill Paul delivers all of this in Scandalous Women.

Scandalous Women tells the story of Jacqueline Susann and Jackie Collins. These two women were cutting edge authors for their time. Though I haven't read Valley of the Dolls or any books by Jackie Collins I want to after reading Scandalous Women just to see how "racy" these books were.

Gill Paul always writes in a way that makes me forget my surroundings and enter another world and time. This book doesn't disappoint. She made every city and character come to life and kept the story going easily from one chapter to the next.

If you love books about books and strong women pick up this book. You'll be glad you did.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion which I have given.

In the mid-1960s writers Jackie Collins and Jacqueline Susann took the publishing world by storm with their racy books THE WORLD IS FULL OF MARRIED MEN and VALLEY OF THE DOLLS. This book that imagines that a young, impressionable wunderkind named Nancy White handled publicity for both and that the two became friends. The book both fictionalizes their stories and includes real life aspects of their worlds.

This was quite an entertaining book, but it was quite a downer to discover that Nancy didn’t exist and that the two women probably never met…I felt like I enjoyed it less knowing all that. A fun read.