Park Avenue Summer by Renee Rosen

Park Avenue Summer by Renee Rosen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I wanted to update this review to mention that there is information on how much of this book is historically accurate and how much about HGB in Park Avenue Summer is true...I wish the editor had put some of that information in the front of the book!

It is rather rare for me to give out 5-star reviews -this book is getting one from me. I would give it more if I could.
This book is difficult to describe since it hits so many buttons - it is historical ( takes place in 1965), it is a bit biographical, it is a romance and it is a mystery all rolled into one book.

If only 25% of the history behind this book is true (the creating of the modern Cosmo and the life of Helen Gurley Brown) then I would still be thrilled and still have loved this book! I am also feeling compelled to go read some more about HGB and the making of modern COSMO.

While I initially thought that this book may only appeal to us older women who lived (or lived close enough) to this new era for women, I realize that this book should appeal to anyone who likes stories of smart, strong and manipulative women. I admit that the one thing I didn't like is that whenever HGB went into a tailspin., she ran to her husband to help bail her out -but on further reflection, I think that that is a good thing in a marriage. It shows that we, as women, can balance the strong with needing support---we really can't do it all, it just feels like we have to!!!

The romance and life of Alice, who is our female protagonist, very nearly takes a back seat to whatever else is going on. But in a subtle way, we find her life being played out in very interesting ways---damn this review really stinks because I just can't find the words of why I loved this book so much.

I'm just going to recommend the heck out of this book --- especially to those who came of age in 1965.

*ARC supplied by the publisher; however, I will be buying my own copy.


View all my reviews