Thank you to Net Galley and Harper Collins Publishing for an early copy of The Colony Club by Shelley Noble

Author Shelley Noble has created a detailed and believable narrative focusing on the life of Florence Jaffray "Daisy" Harriman who along with other prominent women in early 20th century New York worked tirelessly to establish a place where they could socialize, hold meetings, dine, exercise and avoid a hotel when in need of accommodations. The Colony Club was the dream they envisioned an d realized, although not without hardship and unfair press.

Alongside Harriman's story (her husband, Bertie, was diplomat Averell Harriman's cousin) is the compelling portrait of a young woman, Nora Brimley, who dreams of becoming an architect in a world where women are expected to stay home and care for home and family. When Nora wins first prize in an architectural contest, she realizes the beginnings of a career in her chosen field. Being accepted in a labyrinth of men tests Nora's resolve at every turn. While Brimley harbors feelings of inadequacy, it is her persistence in making the Colony Club a success that sees her through.

When the murder of a Nora's boss along with the mistaken belief that Brimley is somehow involved becomes the top news story in New York City, the plot takes some dramatic turns that lead to triumphs for the women who never gave up and were armed to continue to fight for child labor laws, women's suffrage and better hospitals for tuberculosis patients. What a debt of gratitude we all owe these courageous women!

I don't know where to start - this is a phenomenal book that will be extremely difficult to set down! The publisher's description notes "a thrilling historical novel about the inception of the Colony Club." It was on that basis I selected this novel. While the details of the Colony Club were painstakingly researched, I was entranced with the character development, especially Nora. Nora has worked hard to achieve her skills as an architect - in a male dominated field. She persists despite her male colleagues. Ms. Noble wraps character development around several characters including society matron Daisy Harriman and others. While Daisy is wealthy, she wants a club that "will nurture social justice." The end of the book comes all too quick and will leave you wanting more - as it did me!

The Colony Club by Shelley Noble

I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley for review. My opinions are my own.

4/5 stars

I really liked this book as it’s a topic I knew little about - women in architecture in the early 1900s. I do think that it speaks to women in the working field in general, and what they had to do to get into male-driven fields.

This book intertwines two stories together - the women of the Colony Club, working to be taken seriously and advocating for social issues, and Nora, a brand new architect hired by Stanford White’s firm. The stories eventually overlap.

My favorite character in this book is Nora - I was so invested in her story.

I really enjoyed this historical fiction novel!
The story of how The Colony Club, the first womens’ social club, came about was very interesting.
I loved the fictional character Nora, I was routing for her throughout the story. She was determined to succeed and would not be deterred in a profession, at the time, where were not welcome.

Thanks to netgalley for this eArc

I loved this book! Historical fiction based on the establishment of NYC's The Colony Club, one of the first women's clubs. Set just after the turn of the 20th century, and focusing on the build-out of the Club's actual building there are several real life characters: Stanford White, Daisy Harriman, Elsie de Wolfe (considered to be the first interior decorator) and a spectacular scandal that enveloped all of them. It's also the story of fictional Nora Bromley, one of the first female architects. Nora is a wonderful character, smart and charming and very aware of the trouble she will encounter working in a male-dominated field. She's lucky enough to encounter a few men who aren't threatened by her and that's how she comes into contact with the women of the colony Club. There's a great sense of time and place in this book that it almost becomes an additional character. Lots to love here! Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Quick - how many women architects can you name? The only one I can easily identify is Maya Lin. Lin’s design of the famous Vietnam Veterans Memorial is a now a cherished monument to Americans. However, she faced harsh criticism of her artistic design and public doubt of her credibility as a young female architect when she first won the memorial design competition.

Shelley Noble takes us on a journey nearly a century before Maya Lin’s career to discover the long history of gender discrimination in the architecture field. Noble’s her newest book, The Colony Club, refers to the ground breaking initiative of the first women’s club in Manhattan, which was established in 1903. The storyline explores the prejudice and hardships a female architect faced at the turn of the 20th century. The talented young woman in the story is fictional, but Noble expertly sourced facts from several women architecture pioneers.

One of the few opportunities for women at that time to study architecture design was the New York School of Applied Design for Women. What a amazing opportunity for female creatives when the school opened in 1892. True to life women mentors, trendsetters and women’s rights advocates fill in the story details for an inspirational tale. This includes social reformer “Daisy” Harriman, interior designer Elsie de Wolfe (considered to be the first in this field), and theatrical and literary agent Bessie Marbury. Famous architect Stanford White (of McKim, Mead, and White) is also brought into this intriguing story since he was the actual contracted architect for the Colony Club.

As I read about the interlocking roles of these historical figures, I was motivated to look up other biographical and historical details around the story. To me, a curiosity for more information is the true test of a successful historical fiction novel! I was also enthusiastically cheering for the fictional character (young female architect), wanting to see her succeed and gain more recognition of her talents. The only weakness, in my opinion, was a side story exploring this character’s family relationships. It didn’t seem to add value to the story. If it was meant to earn my empathy for her, I didn’t need it. The character already had my support from the moment she sat down at the drafting table.

I wholeheartedly recommend this book to fans of historical fiction. Noble herself is a successful architect in designing a story that brings several key interests together. We walk the New York City streets during the Gilded Age in the shoes of both wealthy Socialites fighting for social causes and young career women struggling to find their place in the business world.

Thank you William Morris for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to Net Galley and William Morrow for the chance to read and review this book! All opinions are my own!
I love books about strong women, and this one fit the bill perfectly! It featured so many interesting women! When Guilded Age matron Daisy Harriman cannot find a place to stay overnight as an unescorted female, she gets the idea to create a women's club. She gains the support of her friends, and they hire architect Sanford White to design the building that will be known as The Colony Club. This club will be a place where women can meet, discuss new ideas, have dinner and stay overnight. The other storyline involves a young architect named Nora Bromley. In spite of the prejudice involved in hiring a female architect, Sanford White decides to take a chance on her. She becomes involved in the designing of The Colony Club. The characters were very well developed, and I liked all of them. Even though the story was historical fiction, there was a lot of factual information and characters. I enjoyed reading the author notes where she explained fact and fiction. I really enjoyed this book and the way the plot moved along. I would recommend this book to all historical fiction lovers!

I love historical fiction, and what better era to choose than the Gilded Age? This was a time when women were starting to realize their worth, yearning for equality, and fighting for the rights of all. This was a very liberal era in certain circles. Of course, it sure helped if you had money!

Ms. Noble was certainly able to blend fact with just a touch of fiction and did it with elegance. She chose a complex subject, spun a tale (most of it historically factual), and pulled the reader into the era in a way that made me feel as if I were making history.

It is a perfect blending of fact and fiction.

*ARC was supplied by the publisher William Morrow Paperbacks, the author, and NetGalley.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️From Harper Collins Publishing: When young Gilded Age society matron Daisy Harriman is refused a room at the Waldorf because they don’t cater to unaccompanied females, she takes matters into her own hands. She establishes the Colony Club, the first women’s club in Manhattan. She hires the most sought-after architect in New York, Stanford White, to design the clubhouse.
As “the best dressed actress on the Rialto” Elsie de Wolfe has an eye for décor, but her career is stagnating. So when White asks her to design the clubhouse interiors, she jumps at the chance. He promises to send her an assistant, a young woman he’s hired as a draftsman.
Raised in the Lower East Side tenements, Nora Bromely is determined to become an architect in spite of hostility and sabotage from her male colleagues. She is disappointed and angry when White “foists” her off on this new women’s club project.
But when White is murdered and the ensuing Trial of the Century discloses the architect’s scandalous personal life, fearful backers begin to withdraw their support. It’s questionable whether the club will survive long enough to open.
Daisy, Elsie, and Nora have nothing in common but their determination to carry on. Together they strive to transform Daisy’s dream of the Colony Club into a reality, a place that will nurture social justice and ensure the work of the women who earned the nickname “Mink Brigade” far into the future.
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My review: Amazing look at early 1900's New York. Famous names abound in this novel and I had to keep researching what was actuality and what was fictionalized.
The women in the novel (real and fictional) were all strong and determined and not the quiet, doting types one may think of from this time period. Nora fights her way through life to attain her goals and she meets amazing people along the way: Daisy, Bessie, Elsie, George, and all the secretaries at the firm.
White's murder was the "trial of the century" and his activities were far ranging and affected many people. It was fascinating to follow that in this novel.
The Colony Club was real and much of its creation in the novel is how it happened. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and learning about the people and lifestyles in New York during this time period. This is a wonderful female centric look into NYC history.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins Publishers for an advance digital copy of this book in exchange for my review.

What a wonderfully researched book about the Gilded Age in New York City. The story is told through the eyes of three women from different walks of life. The wealth in contrast with the poverty of the city is well written. The development of the characters, especially Nora, was delightfully depicted. I read late into the night, the story was so compelling. Very highly recommended. I will have to investigate other books by this author.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. The thoughts and opinions in this review are entirely my own.

The Colony Club
Shelley Noble

When the Waldorf refuses to let her have a room because she's an unaccompanied woman, Daisy Harriman decides women should have a club to call their own. Hiring Gilded Age architect Stanford White to design the clubhouse, Harriman learns some men will try to limit a woman's ambition.

For fans of: The Personal Librarian, The Davenports
Rating: 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌘
Genre: Historical Fiction
TW: Bullying

The Colony Club follows 3 women—socialite Daisy, actress-turned-decorator Elsie, & aspiring architect Nora—as they found & build NY’s 1st women’s club. Noble juxtaposes the splendor of Gilded Age NY against the subsistence living of Lower East Side families, allowing readers to revel in its splendor while placing it in its social context. While the story is told from 3 POVs, I think of this as Nora’s book, though she is the only fictional one of the 3. Her story of growing up poor and training to become an architect at a time when women struggled to enter the field is inspiring. She also has the biggest character arc, not only in how her situation evolves, but also in how she grew personally & professionally. If I had to give 2nd ranking to a character...The Colony Club itself. As a student of history and an architecture & design nerd, I loved its origin story. Especially how its evolution—from inception to opening—was tied up in women’s struggle for literal and figurative space beyond the approved spheres of daughter, wife, & mother. My only minor critique: Nora’s resolution is perhaps a bit tidy. I’m all for a HEA, especially for someone who faces down obstacles with Nora’s determination. In reality, few women in Nora’s situation would have had those hurdles resolved so quickly or in so fortuitous a manner. But this is fiction. We’re allowed to recognize that there were 100 sad stories for every triumph and to cheer when our fictional protagonist gets her due. If you read only one historical novel this year, I highly recommend you make it The Colony Club.

Thank you to William Morrow Books & NetGalley for a gift copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to @netgalley and @WilliamMorrow for this ARC.
1906: Daisy Harriman was refused a night at the Waldorf in NYC because she was unaccompanied. This sparked an idea to open a women's club just as men have had for years. Backed by JP Morgan and his daughter Anne Morgan, this club is for rest, relaxation, fitness and a meeting house to address major issues in society such as child labor laws, woman's right to vote and workplace conditions.
Nora Bromley has been trying to fulfill a dying promise to her father that she would become an architect. Through blood, sweat and tears, she was asked to join Stanford White's firm as a draftswoman. When this group of affluent women approach Stanford to become an architect for the club, he knew Nora was the right person for the job.
The writing for this book was so fluid, I was done before I knew it. Noble has a way with words writing about influential women in the world. A little known fact, The Colony Club still stands in NYC and is still a woman's club that allows men guests.
#TheColonyClub #ShelleyNoble #WilliamMorrow #Oct2024

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the opportunity to review this advance copy.

Shelley Noble writes a historical novel set in the Gilded Age in America about the birth of the Colony Club, a private club like the Princeton Club where women can exchange ideas, have a meal, exercise and stay the night if they wish. Supported financially by their husbands and their donors, these women face many obstacles to their plans by men who do not share their clique's enthusiasm.

The architect for this project is Stanford White who is murdered with the "Trial of the Century" ensuing. Noble has created a fictional character, Nora Bromley, who is a young architect at White's firm and finds herself caught up in the excitement of building the first Women's Club, as well as the publicity and subsequent scandal.

In the character of Nora Bromley, Noble has created a passive woman devoid of personality whose hand is constantly tucked in George Douglas's arm. Never once does she withdraw it. The conflicts between her co-worker Nast and Nora are unconvincing and predictable. He eventually pulls her into the Stanford White murder scandal and she and everyone else seem to have no idea how to extricate her.

Her goal in working is to save money for her mother and sister to live with her but we see no evidence of her achieving that goal. Instead, we are treated to a slice of life during the Gilded Age with a gilded ending.

The Colony Club by Shelley Noble is a great historical fiction that I enjoyed.

This was a great multiple voice, turn of the century, collective narrative that gave the reader a full view of what society, culture, and relationships were like at the beginning of the 20th century. Through the eyes of several women, we can see the struggles, difficulties, and landscapes that women had to endure, overcome, and wade through to have a voice. Through these stories, we can see the obstacles, but we can also see the beauty, strength, passion, and determination of these pioneers.

The author did a great job of painting a realistic picture, giving us images of a life and existence of another time, all the while keeping us engaged and entertained.

I liked this one.

4.5/5 stars

Thank you NG and William Morrow | William Morrow Paperbacks for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 10/1/24.

This is a lovely book about the creation of the Colony Club, the first club for society women. Most of the story is told from the viewpoint of a Nora, a rare female architect at the turn of the century. This is historical fiction based on real events, and two of the main characters, Daisy Harriman and Elsie De Wolfe, were famous historical figures in their time.

What I liked:

It's very readable, with endearing characters and a strong setting. It's a sweet story, with a hint of romance, but the main message is. about the power of women. I teared up a bit at the end.

What could have been better:

The plot is fairly straightforward, so even though it held my interest, it didn't demand it. There were a messages that were hinted at a little too broadly in case the reader didn't get it. But it's not necessary, us readers are a smart bunch :) Finally, the romance was very drawn out and I couldn't understand why, and then the culmination of it was just completely skipped over. I felt a bit cheated there.

Overall, a nice read that historical fiction readers, especially those who enjoy women's fiction, will love.

3.75 rounded up.

Thank you to NetGalley, Shelley Noble, and William Morrow for the opportunity to review this advanced copy.

"The Colony Club" has all the hallmarks of women's historical fiction: unnecessary framing device set in a different era from the main story, dialogue that doubles as exposition, flat characters, uninspired and unsurprising romances, prose that never rises above adequate. The setting made up for it, however: the establishment during the end of the Gilded Age of the first women's private club in the States. Real-life figures Elsie de Wolfe and Stanford White play prominent roles, and author Shelley Noble seems to have done her research. All in all, the book was a painless way to pass several hours.

Thank you, NetGalley and William Morrow, for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I am thankful for the opportunity to have been able to read an ARC of this novel courtesy of William Morris, NetGalley and the author. This was a historical fiction set in the Gilded Age which is one of my favorite time periods so it was an instant hit with me.

This book takes readers on a journey to New York where a group of ladies are are denied access to a club so they form their own. This is a story of standing up for Women’s Rights and not being afraid to call out injustices and standing up for what they feel is right. I loved this book!

I just love reading about the Gilded Age. This is a very interesting Historical Fiction Novel featuring women establishing a club for women only. The characters are real and fictional. Daisy Harriman is a real person who is furious when she is denied a room at the Waldorf because she is an unaccompanied female. She decides to take things in her own hands. She plans on opening her own club just like the men have.
The story begins in 1963 when Daisy is being interviewed after receiving the prestigious President Kennedy citation of merit award. She reflects throughout the book on her life and how The Colony Club was created.
Daisy hires the best architect in New York City, Stanford White. He employs, Nora Bromely to be an architect in his all male firm. Nora is thrilled with the opportunity.
The men treat her badly. They pull pranks and sabotage to discourage her. But they do not win. Nora endures it all. She becomes very disappointed when he reassigns her to be the assistant to the designer on the Colony Club.
This was a captivating story with real and fictional characters. It was very well researched. I just loved reading about Nora and what she was up to next. There was no stopping this woman. She was a very strong willed woman who wanted to be an architect.
A compelling story.
Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for this advanced readers copy.

This was my 1st book by Shelley Noble, and it won't be my last! The Colony Club was a wonderful book, about the 1st woman' club in New York during the Gilded age and the challenges it faces to become a reality. It was fascinating to see the beginnings of a variety a movements start, with many historical figures brought to life from the Vanderbilt's, Daisy Harriman and many other society titans of that era. It is filled with gorgeous details, from clothing and culture to the breaking the "glass ceiling" particularly in architecture and social norms. There is good character development, intrigue, scandal, prejudice overcome and romance. I definitely recommend reading this book, it was highly entertaining, enriching, and engaging topics and characters. It was a true privilege to have William Morrow and NetGalley gracious allow me a ARC, all the comments and opinions are my own.