Park Avenue Summer

By: Renée Rosen

Narrated by: Kathe Mazur, Renée Rosen

"Mad Men meets The Devil Wears Prada, which might as well be saying put me in your cart immediately.’" (PopSugar)

It’s 1965 and Cosmopolitan magazine’s brazen new editor in chief - Helen Gurley Brown - shocks America and saves a dying publication by daring to talk to women about all things off-limits....

New York City is filled with opportunities for single girls like Alice Weiss, who leaves her small Midwestern town to chase her big-city dreams and unexpectedly lands a job working for the first female editor in chief of Cosmopolitan magazine, Helen Gurley Brown. For Alice, who wants to be a photographer, it seems like the perfect foot in the door, but nothing could have prepared her for the world she enters. Editors and writers resign on the spot, refusing to work for the woman who wrote the scandalous best seller Sex and the Single Girl, and confidential memos, article ideas, and cover designs keep finding their way into the wrong hands. When someone tries to pull Alice into a scheme to sabotage her boss, she is more determined than ever to help Helen succeed.

While pressure mounts at the magazine, Alice struggles not to lose sight of her own dreams as she’s swept up into a glamorous world of five-star dinners, lavish parties, and men who are certainly no good. Because if Helen Gurley Brown has taught her anything, it’s that a woman can demand to have it all.

©2019 Renée Rosen (P)2019 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“A delightful and empowering read.” (PopSugar)

"Renée Rosen is my go-to for whip-smart heroines who love their work. Park Avenue Summer is a delightful summer cocktail of a read!" (Kate Quinn, New York Times best-selling author of The Alice Network)

“Filled with wit, heart, and verve, Rosen's novel dazzles and empowers. Simply wonderful!” (Chanel Cleeton, author of Next Year in Havana)

Exquisite!

Such a pleasant surprise. This book was exactly what I was looking for and I thoroughly enjoyed every chapter.

NYC IN THE 60s SIGN ME UP

I love New York City. I love books about NYC and I love books a out NYC in the past so this was right up my alley. Not to mention that my mom read cosmopolitan magazine. I read it (when magazines were more
Of a thing) and I was very interested In the story about Helen Gurley Brown. The fictional character that the story centers around was also interesting. And I wondered if she was based on a real person. But anything with Mad Men vibes always sucks me in. This book also made me think a lot about my independence as a woman and stepping into your own person with no inhibitions.

Interesting Take on 1960s NYC

“Park Avenue Summer” is really the story of Helen Gurley Brown, the pivotal first female editor of Cosmopolitan magazine and author of “Sex and the Single Girl”. Her story is told via Alice, her secretary and champion. While this is an interesting story, I think the narrative suffered from lack of focus. The author wanted it to the story of how Helen turned Cosmopolitan around from the brink of cancellation but this objective is covered up by Alice’s story which is infinitely more interesting. A good portion of the narrative drags as the same situations are repeated over and over again just with different circumstances. As a loyal fan of “Mad Men”, I caught many of the mid-century references which was cool. Helen reminded me of Joan from the TV—use your feminine wiles to get ahead. Though as Joan learned over the course of 7 seasons, it takes more than sex appeal to be taken seriously in a man’s world. Overall I enjoyed the book though I’m not sure if I would have finished it if I hadn’t been listening to the recorded version.

Park Ave Summer

I really like this book. It brought back memories of the mid-1960s and how everybody smoked. It was a nice story of her following her dreams.

Interesting Light Reading

Characters were reasonably well developed. I would've enjoyed more richly contrived romantic interactions, but the ending was sweet and slightly unexpected. Worth a credit if you're interested in historical fiction from this time period. I like this authors writing style!

Good book, a bit repetitive

Enjoyed the storyline and getting more insight to women in the workforce in the 1960s. However I did think a lot of it was a bit repetitive and somewhat long winded at times. Overall, it was entertaining.

Great story

One of the best New York stories ever thank you for a beautiful book just stunning pussycat

Alice

Loved the description of the characters especially Helen. Could do without a few of the corny parts.

Great fun story

I appreciate the offer, adding some historical context and details to this very entertaining novel. I read it in a week at the beach. It’s fun and lively and keeps the reader craving

Great Read!

It took me awhile to get into this book. In fact I stopped reading it three times. I’m glad I stuck with it, even going back and re listening to the first 3 chapters again. Great story line and wonderful voice reading it.