I have to admit that the cover of this book alone drew my attention immediately and I instantly knew I needed to read this new release from Anita Abriel. Set in the 1940's'/50s this book covered themed that women around the world will find relatable to this day and it must be said that throughout, this book felt current and relevant to modern day society. Raising the question of can a woman truly have it all? We were taken on a journey with a female character so many of us reading will be able to resonate with.

I devoured this book in one sitting thanks to not only it being a short read but how easy it was to get lost into defining a true page turner. The focus on a woman's career in the time period the book was set in we see our protagonist experience unexpected popularity and her career go beyond what both she and her husband could have predicted and as the story progress we get to see how the career success of a woman impacted not only her but her husband and marriage. Throughout we get flashbacks that allow us to understand our main character even more and further allow the read to connect with the story and character. I do think things maybe happened too quickly in this book and certain problems faced were solved too quickly however this may simply fall down to this being a short read and doesn't take away from the compelling and relatable story that was told.

Thank you for an ARC of this book NetGalley. I zoomed through this book. It was good enough. The writing needed to be more dynamic. I liked the characters but felt like there was always so much build up and then everything was easily resolved. I never felt like Maggie’s past was something so dramatic that could have ruined her life. I was rooting for her but ultimately, and sadly, this book just fell short for me. I never like criticizing authors because it takes a lot of guts to put your hard work out for the world. I wouldn’t say I disliked this book, I just think it needed more depth. I finished it in a day so it was entertaining enough to keep me going.

What happens when radio personality in the 1950s is given the opportunity to be on a television show about baking? The main problem with this being that she doesn't know how to bake!

Maggie Lane is an intelligent and ambitious woman who finds herself using her stardom to do things that she never had plans to do. Unfortunately, this comes with consequences - not least for her marriage!

This is a fascinating slice of Americana set three quarters of a century ago. But it's a story that will still have resonance for women in the workplace today, and Maggie is a winsome protagonist. A very enjoyable and easy read, it gets 3.5 stars from me, and would probably get 4 stars from a reader with a strong interest in American social history.

This snapshot of 1950s New York City was a fun read telling the story of Maggie Lane, an actress who becomes the host of a baking show despite having no knowledge of baking. The book flashes back to moments in her past as she works through her sudden marriage, deals with her rising fame, and helps a friend confront her own issues. The book touches on the social morés of the time and the conflict between career and marriage that many women felt. The descriptions are rich and engaging. Maggie seems to have very good luck and it would have been interesting to learn more about her past and early days in New York to add more depth to the character.

I enjoyed this book a great deal. My expectations for the storyline was completely different than what actually ended up happening, but I am actually really happy about that.

First of all, the baking show. I am the perfect target audience for that kind of thing (no, I will not admit how many hours I have spent in my life watching baking shows). The subtle (and not so subtle) sexism on set and the expectations set on Maggie have been really well incorporated. I loved to see how she starts to use her platform to empower women and encourage them to be more than housewives, while at the same time we see how she struggles with it all in the context of her marriage to Teddy.

Maggie and Teddy were both really endearing characters. The flashbacks to Maggie's past gave us some important context, though I do wish they would have been a bit less jarring in the way they were incorporated. Their marriage struggles felt very real and made a lot of sense in the context of the time.

Overall my favorite thing about this book was probably Maggie’s friendship with Dolly and all the heavier themes that came with it, and the very relatable way in which Maggie felt helpless and just wanted to be there for her friend.

Generally this book has a lot of themes around women supporting women and I’m always here for that (especially in times like these).

Anyways, if you like historical fiction set in the 1950s, centering the lives of women and their struggles, you will probably enjoy this.

“American Housewife” is a historical fiction book by Anita Abriel. This book takes place in the 1950s - the early days of television when anyone (seemingly) could become a star overnight. This book follows Maggie Lane as she gets her big break and becomes the host of “The Maggie Lane Baking Show.” The fact that Maggie cannot cook is okay - the sponsor of the show is a cake mix company and Maggie has time to learn how to do more complex baking/cooking. The show takes off - and Maggie becomes famous … somewhat to the frustration of her new husband, who wants to make a name for himself in the radio world. I thought the premise of this book was interesting, until I realized that the author basically took a story with 2020 themes and set it back in a 1950s scene (though, there are some stereotypical 1950s themes too). My biggest complaint, though, is that Maggie runs into issues - but a few paragraphs later, problem solved. I never felt the suspense I wanted to feel about the threats hanging over her head - or even the possible issues regarding her friends. I think that there is an audience for this book - but I think I was expecting Maggie to be a bit more like Lucile Ball being both a businesswoman and an actress; Maggie’s storyline was more about quickly resolved conflicts. This wasn’t the book I was hoping it could be, but I think those who like lighter historical fiction books would find this book interesting.

Fabulous read! This book transports you back to a time when life is simpler, when women are slowly becoming more independent, and the world is adjusting to life post-war. Maggie Lane, the main character is presented with a life-changing opportunity to become the host of a small TV show that rapidly expands to one of the most popular shows in the nation. Maggie is struggling to maintain the perfect housewife ideal while her past threatens to haunt her.

I really enjoyed this book. I enjoyed Maggie Lane's character and her development throughout the book as well as her relationship with her husband, Teddy. Highly recommend!

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC, all opinions are my own

“American Housewife”
american housewife while not my usual read i truly enjoyed this book from start to finish. This book has a way of dragging you in and wishing you could watch an episode of “The Maggie Lane baking show”. At face value this story may seem simple but Maggie’s story is one that is far from that. I’m already crossing my fingers for a sequel!

I really enjoyed this book. It was pure escapism for my during a wet, wood and otherwise boring weekend. Joy.

Having read two of this author's previous works I found American Housewife to be a bit lighter and fluffier than the others. But this is in no way bad or meant to come across as negative. In fact it is a good thing as it shows her range of storytelling.

While this book is on the lighter side it shows how far women have come in the decades since the 1940s and 50s but also how things are somewhat the same. Maggie is an independent woman in the 40s and 50s and it sometimes clashed with life as a married woman. She was expected to fit into a mold and that mold just didn't fit Maggie Lane.

I enjoyed Dolly's story. It shows how the expectations were for women to be a certain way. As an actress Dolly was under pressure to be a certain way and in her personal life she put pressure on herself to be someone she wasn't. Her and Maggie's friendship was one of my favorite parts of the book.

The author did a great job of really setting the scenes for this book. There are so many references to stars, products, and pop culture of the time that it really made me feel as if I had been transported back in time.

This was a really good book and I definitely recommend it to fans of historical fiction. I also recommend this author. She knows how to tell a story and tell it well.

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

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.. This book focuses on a young couple who marry in the early 1950’s, both have interesting past experiences, that they don’t divulge for fear of losing each other. The book focuses on their respective careers and the trials and tribulations involving money, advancement, and women in the workforce. I enjoyed this story, it was an easy , enjoyable read.

Maggie Lane wants to be a part of this exciting new thing called television. She gets her chance as a lot of women did by offering advice and recipes to ease daily life. The Maggie Lane show is complete with men overseeing her scripts and subjects so as not to offend or be controversial. Maggie navigates this male dominated atmosphere with guile and a shrewd eye. Maggie’s husband soon tires of being Mr Maggie Lane; but not so tired as to try getting ahead on his own. Here is a real voice of the 1950’s television pioneer who happens to be female. Happy reading

American Housewife was great. It examined the relationships between man and woman in an era that absolutely fascinates me.

I loved it!!!

American Housewife by Anita Abriel is a captivating historical fiction novel set in 1950s New York City. It follows the story of Maggie Lane, a rising TV star whose life takes an unexpected turn when she's thrust into the spotlight as the host of her own cooking show.
I was nervous this was going to be too similar to Lessons in Chemistry however Abriel's vivid storytelling and well-developed characters make American Housewife an enjoyable and thought-provoking read. It's a perfect choice for fans of historical fiction and those interested in the intersection of media and culture.

This really reminded me of Lessons In Chemistry in terms of the premise, but I kept hoping and wanting more for Maggie. She seemed like such a blah character and I was hoping for growth that never came.

A light read about a 1950s TV star who has great success as hostess of a television show directed towards housewives. While her professional life is soaring her marriage is on a slippery slope.
I'm not sure women in NYC had all the privileges this book includes. Certainly they were not in the USA hinderlands.

I went into American Housewife expecting a read similar to 'Lessons In Chemistry' but I was sadly disappointed. Maybe I had too high hopes going into this but I could jus not get into the story or gel well with the writing. I love the message this was trying to send about women and their struggles throughout time but this wasn't the book for me.

The American Housewife by Anita Abriel pulls readers into the 1950s with vivid, warm writing that captures the era’s atmosphere and pressures. The story flows smoothly, mixing moments of self-reflection with just enough drama. Abriel’s characters feel authentic, especially the protagonist, whose search for independence is relatable and inspiring. For fans of heartfelt historical fiction, this book is an engaging read about finding strength and self-worth.

American Housewife tells the story of Maggie Lane, TV darling on the hit show The Maggie Lane Baking Show, navigating her life and career through media scrutiny, marital challenges and deeply kept secrets. Based on that description of the book, I expected to enjoy this more than I did. The setting is provocative - 1950s post-war New York with the glitz and glamour of Hollywood just starting to become relevant as technology shifts from radio to TV. Despite the setting, however, I found myself bored at many points of the story.

There was this persistent issue where the author would set us up well for a scene, describing clothes and buildings in depth to really ground us in it, and then describe the action of the scene with one or two sentences. There was one scene where we spent a page and a half describing Maggie’s outfit for a show taping, and then the actual taping happened in one sentence. It left me feeling disappointed, like I’ve showed up somewhere exciting only to find that the event was cancelled.

I also felt that the pacing was a bit too fast for the story. There are several important characters in the background, but the quick pace means we don’t get to see them fully flesh out into recognizable people. They get introduced, but there’s no clear understanding of who they are as characters. For example, Jake, an important figure in Maggie’s life, is almost immediately removed from the story to go to war. Despite his absence, Jake remains a huge presence in Maggie’s mind and influences a fair amount of her decisions. But all we really know about him are the few shorts scenes we had with him. When he does things Maggie doesn’t like, I found it difficult to sympathize.

Despite my criticisms though, I really think I would’ve enjoyed this story if it had been expanded over two books. There is a lot of untapped potential in this book and I think it’s ben squandered because of its length. I truly feel that if this book was given some room to breathe, it could be really great.

This review was provided in exchange for an ARC copy via Netgalley.

I liked this book, but it wasn't until 3/4 into the story that I felt fully engaged. It seemed like a take off on "Lessons In Chemistry" without all the interesting science details. Even though the book takes place in the 1950's, the story felt dated. I was never drawn into the characters, at least not until the attempted blackmail at the end. I hope the book does well, it just didn't grab me.