Set against the glittering backdrop of Manhattan’s Roaring Twenties, The Colony Club is a story of ambition, friendship, and the pursuit of independence. Noble brings the world of high society, jazz clubs, and glamorous speakeasies to life, with characters who leap off the page in all their fabulous flaws.

The story follows Charlotte “Lottie” Harmon, a small-town girl with big dreams, who finds herself navigating the dazzling but ruthless New York social scene. Lottie’s journey is filled with challenges, betrayals, and heart-wrenching choices, but she’s a character you’ll root for as she strives to make her mark in a world designed to keep her in the shadows. Noble crafts a narrative that’s not just about glitz and glamour; it’s also about the power dynamics, resilience, and sacrifices women made in the 1920s to pursue independence.

🌟 My Thoughts: Noble’s lush descriptions transported me right into the heart of the 1920s, capturing both the allure and the gritty underside of the era. It’s a story as vibrant as a jazz melody but with enough depth to leave a lasting impression. If you love historical fiction with strong female leads, you’ll be enchanted by The Colony Club!

The Colony Club
A Novel
by Shelley Noble
Pub DateOct 01 2024
William Morrow |William Morrow Paperbacks
General Fiction \(Adult\)| Historical Fiction| Women's Fiction


Netgalley and William Morrow have provided me with a copy of The Colony Club for review:



When Daisy Harriman, a young Gilded Age society matron, is refused a room at the Waldorf because it doesn't accommodate unaccompanied females, she takes matters into her own hands. She establishes the first women's club in Manhattan, the Colony Club, where women can stay overnight and dine with their friends; where they can discuss new ideas, take on social issues, and voice their opinions. In order to build the clubhouse, she hires New York's most sought-after architect, Stanford White.


Elsie de Wolfe is known as "the best dressed actress on the Rialto," but her career stagnates. When White asks her to design the clubhouse interiors, she jumps at the chance to add a feminine touch. He promised she would get a draftsman assistant, a young woman he'd hired.

Despite the hostility and sabotage from her male colleagues, Nora Bromely is determined to become an architect. After White "foists" her off on this new project, she becomes angry and disappointed.

When White is murdered and the ensuing Trial of the Century reveals his scandalous personal life, fearful backers begin to withdraw their support. There is a question as to whether the club will survive long enough to open.

Daisy, Elsie, and Nora all share a determination to carry on. To do so, they must overcome not only society's mores, but also their own prejudices about women, wealth, and each other. They work together to turn Daisy's dream of the Colony Club into a reality, a place that nurtures social justice and ensures the work of the women who earned the nickname "Mink Brigade" for decades to come.


I give The Colony Club five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

Set in Newport RI in early 1900’s, Daisy and other wealthy women decided to build a club for women. It took several years to complete it, using a woman architect and woman designer on the project which was unheard of The women also supported women’s rights, poverty, etc. Based on historical real women. If you enjoy Marie Benedict’s books, you will like this.

Thank you to Netgalley for this e- copy of The Clint Club by Shelly Noble in exchange for a honest review. This is a very well written and researched piece of historical fiction based on many real life events . The story centers around Nora Bromley a young architect hired by Stanford White to help with the design and building of The Colony Club a woman’s only club for women which was built in the early 1900s. Nora is subject to much harassment by her male colleagues but with the help of a fellow architect George, she is able to achieve success. The main thing that struck me about this book is that women were treated so horribly with no respect by male counterparts because they didn’t want women to have the same access to jobs and advancement. These women were very brave in a time when they were thought of as second class citizens.

This was a good historical fiction book that represented a time in history not much is written about. Loved the characters and the story and look forward to more books by this author.

In the early 1900s, Nora Bromley is a young women living in NYC's lower east side, and she's determined to become an architect. Her brother - who'd wanted to be an architect - had died of tuberculosis, and Nora's determined to carry on in his honor. At the same time, a group of wealthy women want to build an exclusive women's club in order to have a place of their own and to work on the social justice issues of the day. They hire famed architect, Stanford White, who happens to employ Nora. The issues the women faced at the time were fascinating, and I enjoyed reading about Nora's struggles as well as the lives the wealthy women led. This was historical fiction, and I spent quite some time looking for information on the characters, to determine which were real people - always the sign of a good book for me. Many thanks to NetGalley, Ms. Noble, and the publisher for the ARC of this title.

Sign me up to buy every book by Shelley Noble in the future! For me historical fiction books have to have that zest! The hidden pearls in each chapter and words that reach out it made me have an under the sea literature adventure! And at the same time catapult me into space! This book definitely represents those things! ☕

Everyday in life women read books that are freeing for their minds and make them feel valued and comfortable! But how do we come by these freedoms? The women of the past were the cobble stone makers for giving our shoes and spirits a reason to walk and be heard. This amazing book tell the story of women who pioneered a belief in their hearts and came together in a club that would change history. 🌹

I fell in love with Daisy and Nora! Elsie has my heart too! Daisy decides to create a club for women we're discussions and free thinking opinions may take place without a man needed to overshadow them. Nora is a total Queen! She gets the privilege after working really hard and entering a competition to design the clubhouse that Daisy started advocating for! 💗

They then meet Elsie! An actress with a flair for design! Her mind definitely consist of colorful canvases that she emulates into reality! Overtime this trio comes together to inspire personal and professional aspects in each other's lives. And those around them! And then gasp! The murder of Stanford White, the lead architect a very powerful man that Nora is working with, take center stage! I really enjoyed this because I'm very familiar with his scandalous past historically speaking! 🫢

The author did amazing with giving detail on scenes that were set and emotions that were expressed! I felt as if the author was a director telling me, is if I was an actress, "Ok read this line and feel it" and I so did! As a reader that's all you can ever hope from when it comes to a book; engaging with your imagination with a promise that the author will deliver a story that becomes a part of you.🎆

This book has absolutely everything! Groundbreaking research introduces us into a door to the past and gives us three women who not only wanted to change history in general but who wanted to change history for women everywhere! 🧁 (Even though Nora was a fictional character for me she represents the women that started a new beginning for ladies in all places.)

Bravo!!!💖

THE COLONY CLUB
Shelley Noble, Author
Historical Fiction

This book is steeped in the rich history of Victorian Manhattan. Women are just beginning to be seen as actual human beings and not just someone to tend a household. As women are thrown out of all the men’s clubs and even a hotel just because they are not on a man’s arm, they set out to build a women-only club. This endeavor does not come without controversy. The women behind it are willing to do anything to see this brought into reality.

This was a great look back at women in history. While a work of fiction, it is still based on some fact. Don’t forget to read the author’s note to see just what was fiction and what was fact. I would definitely give this book a 5 out of 5 stars.

Shelley Noble does such an unusually wonderful job of choosing unique subjects for her historical fiction novels, and The Colony Club continues in that tradition.

If you’re a New Yorker of familiar with city history you’ve likely heard of the Colony Club, but I had no idea of its history before reading this beyond a few bits and bobs about the original location. Noble takes some liberties with the story, but the creative touches are good ones, and the historical content is both well-researched and well told as a part of a semi-fictional narrative.

I love Noble’s characters, and I think she does well making them easy to root for without hobbling them with one-dimensionality.

The architectural history used here is pretty sound, and Noble does a wonderful job of bringing it to life in the context of the story.

Thanks to NetGalley for being able to read this story. Daisy Harriman was upset because she could not stay in a hotel by herself. She felt the ladies needed to have a club of their own. they got Stanford White to design it. Nora Bromley was just finishing architectural school' She entered a contest which she won. Stanford White hired her and because his schedule was so heavy she got to work on the clubhouse. This story is about having to fight men for a place next to them to work, making friends, love and learning things she could not learn in school. There is a murder and how that effected their plans. It taught Nora much more than building a structure.

I love historical fiction books that are able to successfully transport me to worlds I knew little about and it's even better when they feature strong, trailblazing women.

Set in Gilded age New York City, this story blends fact with fiction and follows two women, one an aspiring architect and the other an actress turned interior designer, who both find themselves working on The Colony club building - the first women's only society club of its kind in the early 20th century.

Fascinating, inspiring and about a subject I didn't know about before picking the book up, this kept my interest from start to finish and still resonates for women in the workplace today who are still dealing with gendered wage gaps and sexism.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me a digital and physical copy in exchange for my honest review!

This was an engrossing fictionalization of the building of the first women's social club in New York.

Author Shelley Noble imagines a young female architect working in the offices of Stanford White as he accepts the commission to design and build The Colony Club. The (historical) club was organized by a group of society women, and the story is told in the form of flashbacks by Daisy Harriman one of the drivers of the project. Real and fictional characters are well blended in this story of women challenging the expectations of their times and dealing with the consequences.

Great storytelling!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Colony Club by Shelley Noble imagines the story of three captivating women at the beginning of 20th-century New York.

Daisy Harriman makes her mark as a trailblazer in creating first women’s club when such spaces were meant only for men. It all began when she was refused a room at the Waldorf in 1902 because she was not accompanied by a man.

Daisy turned this obstacle into action. However, founding a club at a time when women needed man’s permission for nearly any action wasn’t easy. It took two years for the club to be fully formed, as some women were forbidden by their husbands to join. But Daisy persisted, seeing the bigger picture. She envisioned a place where women could be themselves without chaperones, where they could freely discuss the issues that mattered to them. She wanted women to have a voice.

After two years of struggle to establish the Colony Club, both in name and physical form, Daisy’s privileged life contrasts sharply with that of Nora, a fictional character representing the women of her time who aspired to be architects but found it difficult to secure permanent positions. Many worked as independent contractors, a reality portrayed through Nora’s story.

At the end of Nora’s study, she enters a competition that she wins, leading her to independent work with McKim, Mead and White. At the time, Stanford White was the most sought-after architect in New York, and Daisy hired him to design the clubhouse. When Nora becomes involved in the project, her path crosses with Elsie de Wolfe. Elsie, known more for her fashion than her acting, was encouraged by her powerful agent, Bessie Marbury, to pursue interior decorating. Thus, two creative minds - Nora and Elsie - come together. Elsie, though gifted in design, lacks the ability to draw, which is where Nora’s skills come in. Elsie’s lavish imagination is translated onto paper by Nora.

The story follows the actions of these three women. Daisy engages in philanthropic efforts, and during her time in France, she learns about progressive law of ten-hour workdays for children, hoping to pass something half as enlightened in the States. Elsie’s opulent and costly decorative pursuits offer a vivid glimpse into the Gilded Age New York. Meanwhile, Nora faces hostility and sabotage from her male colleagues as she fights for recognition in her field.

As the Colony Club is taking shape, the lives of the three characters are suddenly shaken by the murder of Stanford White, whose scandalous personal life comes to life during his trial.

The novel embodies determination, the overcoming of prejudices, and the coming together of individuals to fulfill a dream with a larger purpose – a place that nurtures social justices.

Written with engaging prose, this fascinating story reveals a rich historical background and explores the intriguing mystery of a man whose life’s work is tarnished by revelations that emerge after his death.

Review originally posted at mysteryandsuspense.com

A wonderful novel that takes on a piece of NY in the early 1900's and the roles of women within that society. The book is in the realm of historical semi-fiction. It follows the building of the Colony Club, which is the first woman's club in NYC - there are many historical figures who take part in the story and I was enthralled to learn more about them (went down the Wikipedia rabbit hole to learn more) as well as some fictional characters that showed part of what being a non-society woman in the early 1900's was like. A thoroughly enjoyable and educational book

I enjoyed learning about women’s roles and how they were changing in early 20th century New York. I was especially interested in Nora’s story as she fought to become an architect. I want to learn even more about Daisy Harriman and would love to visit the actual Colony Club which still exists!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC.

Nora is struggling to be an architect. In the Gilded Age in NYC….Of course it is a huge struggle. Then there is Daisy and Elsie.

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. And this is definitely not without barriers.

Elsie de Wolfe has an eye for décor, but her career is stagnating. So when she is asked to design the clubhouse interiors, she jumps at the chance and the opportunity to add a woman’s touch.

There are quite a few great characters in this tale but Nora is my favorite. She is truly ahead of her time. And the abuse she takes from the men…don’t even get me started!

I fluctuated between 4 and 5 stars on this one. It has a slow start. But when I finished this book, I realized I had never read one about the subject of a woman architect, the first interior designer or the first women’s club. And it has such great detail! SOLD! Y’all need to get this! You will not be sorry!

Need a wonderful historical fiction with strong women characters…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

An interesting look at a time when women had to work even harder to accomplish things! An inspiring story of overcoming, and a reminder of who paved the way for where we are now.

Book Name: The Colony Club
Author: Shelley Noble

ARC
Thank you to Netgalley and William Morrow | William Morrow Paperbacks for an ARC

Stars: 4
Spice: 0

Standalone
Slow Paced
Multi POV
Historical Drama

- Thoughts.
- Feels unedited in some ways
- Too many plotlines
- Nora was amazing
- Need to be more succinct
- Interesting story of the Historical Colony Club
- The engenieering olot line was so inrguining
- Love the subplot of the sandal of Stanford White.
- Great book club read

This book had way too many plotlines. The Nora plotline was really interesting and engaging however the Daisy plot line felt unnecessary and the Elsie plot line though more engaging than daisy, made me feel like she was a vapid and shallow woman who I wasn't rooting for at all.

Overall I loved the Nora Brumly story so much. I was expecting the drama of the historical scandal and emphasis on the philanthropic works of the club, the emphasis on the Nora plotline really brought the story a true perspective the parts I expected to be highly engaging were just meh

Overall this is a 4 because I loved the story and it would be a great book club read due to the many different storylines. 4/5

I love the Gilded Age so I'm always excited about a book set in this era. The Colony Club by Shelley Noble was such a great book about determined women! While this is historical fiction, I love the real-life characters and how easily the fictional characters fit in this story.

I love Daisy Harriman (she did some amazing things in her life) and when she wasn't allowed to stay at the Waldorf because she was an unaccompanied female, she takes matters into her own hand. She founded The Colony Club which was the first women's only club in Manhattan. Where women can have their own space (similar to men's clubs) to discuss societal issues, have dinner or stay overnight. They hire the most sought-after architect to design their building. Working for the designer is Nora, a young architect who gets assigned to work on this project. Nora is trying to prove that she's just as capable as anyone.

I loved this story and while it was focused on the building of the Colony Club and the scandal when the architect was murdered, it showed a lot going on in society. I loved that a big part of this book and the women behind the Colony Club were fighting for what they believed in. The author's note was fabulous and i only wished Nora was real!

I highly recommend reading The Colony Club which publishes today - October 1st! Thanks to William Morrow for my advanced copy!

I loved so much about this story. It is based on true events. This author weaves so much rich details into her story that it is easy to see it unfold in the reader’s mind’s eye. It points out many inequalities and social injustices during this time. One of my favorite parts was the developing friendships between some of the women. My least favorite part was the lesbian relationship. Thankfully it was kept to a minimum. I really liked the characters, just not their lifestyle. I was blessed with a free ARC of this book and am voluntarily leaving my review. I truly did savor and thoroughly enjoy this book. Highly recommend.