This book was very slow in the beginning but I think was a necessary evil because you needed the backstories but it took me a long time to get thru it. I loved the look at how women make it in a “man’s world” and everything they have todo to make it.

A really delicious read.A book that swept me out of my life took me back in time in Hollywood.Three competitive women secretaries in a Hollywood agency trying to break into the boys club as agents.Fun perfect vacation read.sit back relax and enjoy.#NetGalley #stmartins

1⭐️ Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for an advanced copy of Climbing In Heels.

This story follows three women in the 1980s who are secretaries for the hottest Hollywood agency. It follows the three women and how they vow to make it in a man’s world.

This book was way too long and the stories just got very boring and drug on. I feel like this book had potential but the execution failed.

This one definitely was a different vibe for me. It's full on glam with a backdrop of 1980s Hollywood. I think I didn't connect with the 1980s Hollywood vibe. This one follows the story of three young secretaries working their way to becoming talent agents. The story itself was very unique and the book was well-written. I just couldn't connect with it. Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this advanced copy and St. Martins Press for the ecopy.

What a debut! What it must have been like to be a talent agent in the 80's!

I enjoyed the strong female characters, the setting of LA and the timeframe of the 80's... What a fun read. It started just a bit slow for me but the building of the backstories were definitely necessary. This has such a feeling of authenticity.

Three unlikely women are brought together and they couldn't be more different from one another. But also, similar in some ways.

Beanie Rosen grew up with an overbearing mother who always wanted and expected more - and valued image over actual contentment. Raised in the Valley, she is naturally determined, stubborn, and persuasive, and sometimes very naïve.

Mercedes Baxter had a very complicated youth and family life, leading her to cross the pond, leaving that trauma behind and reinvent herself in LA.

And then there's Ella Gaddy: a knock out raised in a good ole southern family with debutante expectations. But she is anything but... though she does know how to use her charms to get her way.

Each of these young women find themselves with big aspirations in a "boys club" environment. They do what they must to achieve their goals, and there is no lack of cut-throat betrayal.

Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas for the eARC.
Pub Date Apr 29 2025

CLIMBING IN HEELS is a look at the competition and struggle for women in the entertainment industry to succeed. Try as I might, I could not stay interested enough in this book to stick with the story. I had to start over a few times and each time I wondered why the (many) characters couldn’t stay clear in my mind. I somehow thought this would have a lighter, more humorous tone to it, but it did not. Despite enjoying the tales of the entertainment industry, this book didn’t tap into that vein for me. I am not the right audience for the book. I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Need a guilty pleasure? A deep dive into the salacious, juicy, gossipy world known as Hollywood? CLIMBING IN HEELS is all that and more. You will find yourself immersed in a place where names are dropped and clout is wielded like a sword. Welcome to the cut throat land where stars are made and the people who make them.

The story focuses on three women of vastly different backgrounds trying to make it in 1980s Hollywood. They face a mountain of obstacles including an archaic hierarchy in a male dominated industry where misogyny rules and sex is power. It’s a tale of friendship, loyalty, ambition, betrayal, and desire. I couldn’t look away.

Highly entertaining and entirely riveting, I was fascinated by the three main characters—Beanie, Ella, and Mercedes—as they schemed, plotted, and strategized their way to positions of power. Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas‘s novel reads like an exposé of an industry that glitters on the surface belying the grit and dirt beneath the shiny veneer. It’s addictive and a whole lot of fun.

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and St. Martin’s Press for the advance copies. All opinions are my own.

Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas has a bestseller in her hands, in this readers opinion!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I loved this book!!!!!!!!!! It has woman power, drama, sex, corporate drama, and everything you could want in this one book. You need to read this one if you haven't.

Climbing in heels is the fictional tale of three women’s, Beanie Rosen, Mercedes Baxter, and Ella Gaddy, rise within the hottest Hollywood talent agency in the 1980’s.

On paper, this book should have been a hit for me. In my opinion, the book started off strong, but in the middle seemed to be bogged down before it picked up again. I enjoyed the story of the three women, but they felt somewhat flat, more akin to a non fiction book rather than a fictional tale. I didn’t feel a strong connection with any of these women. With the strong non fiction feel of three very interesting women, I was shocked at the end (and I had to google to ensure I was right) that these are completely fictional characters. Which, I believe, is the reason my feelings of disappointment are probably more than the book deserves. Given the fictional nature, I feel like there was way more opportunity for female friendship, character depth and emotional pull since there was no need to keep “true to the facts.” But in reality, the book is written well, could have been slightly shorter, but provides an interesting look into women in the 1980’s fighting their way to the top.

I like how this book starts in the past and works its way forward. This brought nostalgia for the good things in the past, but I had frustration for the boys club antics (which is an underlying point of the book!). This book gets a bit spicy describing some of the things the women experienced to get ahead. The most important thing is though that the woman were doing their best to earn their spots and be taken seriously. I liked how Beanies' character was a role model for others, but there were lots of characters to keep track of. I will look for future books from this author, I think she is probably just finding her footing....in heels (ha!). but I will read future books too!

LOVED!! What great characters Beanie, Ella and even the ruthless Mercedes are! This is a story of how these three women begged, borrowed and stole their way to the top of the Hollywood's biggest agency at a time when it was unheard of. I cannot say enough of Goldsmith-Thomas's writing and how she developed these characters. This is going to be a BIG! Highly recommend!

Goldsmith-Thomas brings her own experience in Hollywood in this debut novel that has a bold premise as it explores complex friendships, rivalries and the discrepancy in how women and men were/are treated in 1980's Hollywood. The book initially focuses on a trio of new-to-Hollywood young women - Beanie, Mercedes and Ella, but soon the story centres mainly around Beanie.

If you know me, you know that a quarter of my brain is dedicated to random Hollywood facts. This book is FILLED with a Hollywood name dropping, from real-life actors/directors and Hollywood acronyms, there are a lot of Tinseltown's who's who mentioned in its pages.

If I step back from the story, I liked it - the coming-into-herself focus about women's experiences in Hollywood. But I wanted more - more growth and better connection between trio and a stronger plot that really pulled me in. What I wanted less of were the numerous tertiary characters who bogged down the pace of the story and were hard to keep track of.

In the end, I liked this book, and it will do well, but it wasn't a 'wow' read for me. It felt much longer than its 380 pages and unfortunately it struggled to hold my attention, taking me almost two weeks to finish it. I enjoyed the premise and Girl Power vibe but think this book would be better as a TV limited series.


Disclaimer: Thanks to St Martin's Press for the advanced digital and paperback copies of this book which were given in exchange for my honest review.

Climbing in Heels is a knockout from start to finish. Set against the glitzy, cutthroat backdrop of 1980s Hollywood, this novel delivers a potent mix of ambition, resilience, and dazzling drama. It’s Gossip Girl meets Entourage—with powerhouse women front and center.

At the heart of the story is Beanie Rosen, a force of nature who commands every scene she’s in. With razor-sharp dialogue, layered backstories, and fashion references so spot-on they feel lifted straight from a vintage Vogue editorial, the characters come alive with a kind of electric realism that makes the book nearly impossible to put down.

The author doesn’t just deliver a compelling narrative—she builds a world that is both indulgently glamorous and deeply human. The stakes are high, the drama is real, and the emotional depth is unexpected in all the right ways. Beneath the glitter lies a sharp commentary on the cost of success, the complexities of friendship, and the fierce fight for visibility in a male-dominated industry.

This book begs for a screen adaptation. Until then, grab a copy, pour yourself a glass of something bubbly, and settle in for one hell of a ride.

Rating: 5/5 – Fierce, fabulous, and utterly unforgettable.

First of all thank you to Netgalley and St Martin's Press for the chance to read this early in exchange of an honest review.

I love historical fiction and hadn't read anything from the 80's time period so I was intrigued by the premise of the story. However half way through I was bored and thought there were too many side characters. I sadly lost interest and didn't finish the book.

3/5 stars for the portion that I did read. I wish Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas good luck with her book and I hope it finds the right readers. This one just wasn't for me.

Love this story idea. I enjoyed the flow, did not enjoy all the extra and for me unnecessary characters but really liked this book overall. Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for allowing me to read an advanced copy.

Climbing in Heels is a story about women jumping hurdles to make their way in the “boys club’ that is the entertainment industry. Though this is set solidly in the 70’s and 80’s, I think it would be safe to say that many of these hurdles still exist today.

We got three female perspectives throughout the story, but I think we can easily say that Beanie is the main character, and who the story revolves around. Ambitious and cut throat, Beanie will be an unlikable character too many, but I found myself routing for her. Were there times I was yelling “girl no!”, absolutely, but mostly I just wanted to see her get what she wanted. Mercedes, also cut throat, was harder for me to route for. Perhaps because I had already “sided” with Beanie, but a lot of the choices Mercedes made felt petty to me, and while they were all making similar decisions I had an easier time rationalizing why Beanie made them. That’s probably on me though. Then there was Ella. I really can’t decide where I stand with her. She felt like the least developed of the three characters, the one we got to know the least.

The story was a bit of a slow burn, and very character driven. Because of this, as well as the unlikability of the three female POVs, I think that this will be hard for some people to get into and I can see this story being very divisive. Speaking of the slower plot, I was not a fan of the ending. It felt just a bit too abrupt in comparison to the overall pacing.

I really enjoyed this book, and would be interested to pick up future works by Goldsmith-Thomas. I don’t think this will be for everyone but if you are a fan of a slower paced, character driven story and want to read about bad-ass women making decisions (sometimes bad, or questionable ones) to further their careers; then I would suggest picking this one up when it comes out.

Climbing in Heels by Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas is a captivating fictional story that delves into the journey of three secretaries as they navigate the competitive world of a top Hollywood agency in the 1980s. The novel offers a fascinating peek into the male-dominated environment of the era, where women were often relegated to serving roles despite their ambitions for more.

At the core of the book lies a web of gossip, revealing the intricate dynamics of agent politics, scandalous affairs, and power struggles within the industry. Through the author's vivid storytelling, readers are immersed in a world filled with celebrity name-dropping, behind-the-scenes drama, and the relentless pursuit of power.

With its compelling narrative and unforgettable characters, Climbing in Heels is a page-turner that will keep me hooked from start to finish. It's a must-read for anyone intrigued by the glitz and glamour of Hollywood's golden age. I couldn't put it down and highly recommend it to all book lovers!

I think I would have given this book a solid 5 stars if there hadn't been so many secondary and tertiary characters who did nothing to advance the storyline. Another issue was that it bogged down so much in the middle that I felt I was reading a thousand-page book instead of a three-hundred-page book. There was really no character growth and just a bit too much descriptive nookie and cocaine for me. But then again, that was part of this era!

The story itself was unique in that I have never read anything about Hollywood agents or the women who broke into this industry and shattered the glass ceiling. Reading about the back-stabbing that was going on in this industry was attention-grabbing. Also, seeing in print how the men treated women during this time period will make the younger generation of women understand just what their mothers and grandmothers went through while trying to climb the corporate ladder.

It was interesting to see how this author wrote about this era and the breakout of women in all industries/careers. I came of age during this time period, so I could relate to Beanie, Ella, and Mercedes.

This was a worthy read. I think it will interest most book clubs because it raises many questions that will be worth discussing.


*ARC provided by the publisher St. Martins Press, the author, and NetGalley.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author, for an ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
The premise of the book drew me in but once I started reading it, I just couldn’t get into it at all.
I wish the author, publisher and all those promoting the book much success and connections with the right readers.

Beanie, Mercedes and Ella are three woman born in the 50's and 60's. Not the greatest time for women who want to be someone important in a man's world. It never mattered to these three. They would do anything they had to in order to get to the top in Hollywood.. No matter what.
This is a captivating story that I hated to put down. Possibly because I was growing up and becoming someone in my world in that same time period, so I knew all the names and places in this whirlwind of a novel!
Don't miss this one!