The cover really hooked me with this one!

The Colony Club is a fascinating and richly detailed historical novel that brings the Gilded Age to life through the eyes of three determined women. Daisy, Elsie, and Nora each have their own ambitions and struggles, yet their paths intertwine in a way that highlights both the challenges and triumphs of women pushing against societal constraints. The backdrop of scandal, architecture, and social change adds depth to their story, making this more than just a tale of female resilience—it’s a tribute to the power of women supporting each other. Engaging, inspiring, and beautifully written, this novel is a must-read for historical fiction lovers!

In this fascinating and detailed historical fiction novel in Gilded Age New York City, readers discover the construction of the ladies’ Colony Club, organized by society matron Daisy Harmon to give the elite women of the city a place to stay, dine with friends, and discuss social issues. Talented architect and draftswoman Nora Bromley is looking for her big break (and escape from the workplace hostilities) with White’s architectural firm, and getting assigned as the assistant to actress turned interior designer Elsie de Wolfe is just not what she was hoping for. However, White’s murder and the Trial of the Century exposing his personal life throw a wrench in the plans for the Colony Club, and the three women must carry on to make sure the Club gets built. With three fascinating characters alternating perspectives and exploring ways in which women broke ground in the Gilded Age, historical fiction fans will love the competency and capabilities of these women and their work to build spaces for women. The characters are the stars of the novel, and their perspectives and strengths balance out perfectly, giving each of them a chance to shine and struggle in this fantastic, detailed, and engaging new historical fiction title.

The Colony Club tells the true story of how Daisy Harriman created the first women's social club in New York City, after being denied entry into the Waldorf. Daisy, along with Designer Elsie de Wolfe and Architect Nora Bromley, carry out the creation of the club designed by Stanford White, a renowned architect. There are many obstacles, as women are tightly controlled by their husbands in the Gilded Age. Then the murder of Stanford White and the revelations of his scandalous life threaten to derail the whole project.

I enjoyed this mixture of a factual event, fictionalized a little to be able to portray the story. It is a good illustration of what women have achieved and personally, it makes me want to protect these rights. There were times when the story drug a little bit for me, but I found it informative and enlightening, and well written.

Thank you to NetGalley, Shelley Noble., and William Morrow books for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Colony Club* by Shelly Noble had potential but ultimately fell a bit flat for me. The premise of the story, centered around the lives of women in a prestigious club, was intriguing. However, the execution left something to be desired.

The characters, while well-drawn, didn’t manage to fully engage me. Their arcs felt predictable, and the pacing was slower than I expected. There were moments of intrigue and charm, but they were too few and far between to keep me consistently invested.

The writing itself was solid, with descriptive passages that painted a vivid picture of the setting. Yet, the story lacked the spark and emotional depth that could have made it more compelling in my opinion. I know that I am in the minorty

Overall, The Colony Club is an okay read if you enjoy light historical fiction, but it didn’t captivate me as much as I hoped. It’s a decent book, but somewhat boring in parts, making it hard to fully recommend with enthusiasm.

2.5 stars rounded up to 3

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I absolutely enjoyed this book. I thought the author, Shelley Noble, did an amazing job mixing fiction and history.... even down to characters. I love the mix of real and fictional people being included in the book. I found it clever and a fun read. I love anything set in the Gilded Age, so this was right up my alley. I think this was a well written and thought out book that was a good read. I recommend it to other history/historical fiction readers. I can't wait for more from this author.

Thank you Net Galley ARC, William Morrow, and Shelley Noble

The Gilded Age is one of my favorite time periods for historical fiction. Add barrier-breaking women looking for a place to hang out unchaperoned, and this was I book I really enjoyed. This was a nice mix of well-researched historical figures and fictional characters. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

This historical novel was so well-researched that I couldn't wait to do my own background work to see what was or wasn't fiction. Thank you to Shelley Noble and Harper Collins for the ARC.

I LOVE NYC and the Gilded Age and The Colony Club didn't disappoint. Between the New York elite that are mentioned by name, to the locations and descriptions of Standford White's architectural work, I was hooked from page one. The story was a little repetitive mentioning every indignity that Nora faced (we all know too well what did and continues to happen to women in male-dominated industries). Still, the friendships that were made and the other interactions rang true. Even the family dynamics seemed possible.

This is a book worth reading.

Told in retrospect by Daisy from her perspective and from Nora’s point of view the story illustrates how difficult it was for women in the 1900’s before they gained some independence and rights. The book is very important in our current environment to remind us we don’t want to be dominated by males again. As with all historical fiction, parts of the story are based on real characters and parts are fictional which the author describes at the end. Daisy Harriman became an important advocate for the poor in New York and received the first Citation of Merit for Distinguished Service Award and Stanford White was indeed a New York architect.
4.5 Stars

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.