“Life is both fleeting and dangerous, and there is no point in denying yourself pleasure, or being anything other than what you are.”
New York, 1940. Young, glamorous and inseparable, Vivian and Celia are chasing trouble from one end of the city to the other. But there is risk in all this play – that’s what makes it so fun, and so dangerous. Sometimes, the world may feel like it’s ending, but for Vivian and Celia, life is just beginning.

City of Girls is about daring to break conventions and follow your desires: a celebration of glamour, resilience, growing up, and the joys of female friendship – and about the freedom that comes from finding a place you truly belong.

Published by Bloomsbury UK April 7th 2020 (PB)

Oh MY. This book was EVERYTHING. You know when you get that perfect book for the perfect moment? City of Girls was THAT book. Transporting me from the worry and concern of the moment right to the very heart of 1940’s New York

This is the epic story of Vivian, a naive young woman from a good family, thrust into the glamour and flamboyance of the New York theatre scene in its heyday and her life as a revolutionary, independent woman who learns to accept herself for who she is

It’s told in a conversational tone as Vivian, now an elderly lady, tells her story in a letter. I adored the way it’s written. I was captivated by the confessional and chatty style which feels as if she is talking directly to you. It’s fascinating and exciting, I never wanted to stop reading

Both New York itself and the era are vividly brought to life – with fashions described in breathtaking detail and characters brought to life in such a way they leap from the page. It’s incredibly fun and racy, but poignant and touching too.

Vivian will stay with me for a long time to come, and City of Girls has earned a place on my favourite ever shelf. I LOVED it so much and would recommend it over and over

Thank you @tandemcollectiveuk for inviting me to participate in this wonderful #readalong