The Saturday Evening Girls Club: A Novel Paperback – April 25, 2017

I absolutely loved this book, especially since I found out the Saturday Evening Girls Club really existed! The story takes place in the very early 1900's in Boston. It is a tale of four immigrant girls, young ladies actually, who are trying to find their way in the "new" world. Even though they are immigrants and live close to one another in the same neighborhood, they come from different ethnic backgrounds. All their fathers are tradesmen (tailor, butcher, etc.) and want to find the girls good husbands through arranged marriages so they will marry and happily raise many children. These girls respect their fathers but have dreams of their own. The families learn to navigate this new world in America but also learn to stay true to their individual ethnic backgrounds. One young Italian girl has been working in a hat shop, learning to make beautiful hats for wealthy women. She longs to save her money and open her own shop making beautiful hats for the ladies in her neighborhood. Another young Jewish lady wants to choose her own husband, another is very intelligent & dreams of becoming a doctor. One of the young ladies is a talented dressmaker and experiences personal familial loss. These girls have grown up together and found courage and support through the Saturday Evening Girls' Club under the guidance of two very understanding and capable women acting as sponsors. The girls not only have dreams of their own but are fiercely loyal to each other. They come together to keep one of the group from making a tragic mistake choosing the wrong man to marry for the wrong reason. I loved the historical facts woven into the story. The characters were well developed and very likable. I found I was really cheering them on as they prove themselves, not only to themselves but to their families as well. It is a tender, comforting story that moves right along and you will enjoy the journey. I only wish the Club had been around when I needed guidance at that age.

This is not the type of book I would normally read, even with my newly expanded reading horizons, but since I'd just read two books in a row from this author, I figured, eh, what the heck. The plot is really secondary to this story. It's the characters that drive it, and they're all well done, as they usually are from Jane Healey. I also enjoyed the Boston and Italian roots of the characters, as I'm an Italian from Massachusetts myself. My ancestors are actually from Avellino, one of the main areas mentioned in the book. The romance and heartbreak feels genuine and not forced. It was more interesting than I expected to read about the North End and how these young women fought the intolerance and expectations that plagued their lives. I enjoyed this book, though I can't say many guys like me would even consider reading it, and would read more from her Jane Healey in the future.

I received this book as part of the Kindle Scout program and am absolutely thrilled. The story is outstanding and a beautiful addition to Literature.The Saturday Evening Girls Club was started in the North End of Boston by a librarian and a philanthropist of Boston's high society. It was an organization that introduced Italian & Russian immigrant teenage girls to one another. They had guest speakers, performed plays, learned folk dances, listened to music and grew to be the closest of friends. This story focuses on four of the girls, Caprice, Marie, Thea & Ada. Caprice & Marie are Italian Catholics and Thea & Ada Jewish Russians. (Their religion has a prominent place in this story, otherwise I wouldn't mention it.) Each chapter begins with an Italian or Jewish proverb. I really liked the proverbs and each was relevant to its chapter. There were several that I copied to my notes to read again & again. One sentence can bring clarity when it's hard to see otherwise.Caprice, Marie, Thea & Ada, all live at home with their parents and siblings. They are around 20-years old and beginning to notice boys, be noticed by boys, learn about falling in love and recognizing that their dreams can come true in America. Their families may want to revert to the old ways of their country, but these four have something to say about it, and do. They learn how important friendships are and rely on one another during the heartbreak and happiness. They don't always agree on each other's individual decisions, but are supportive and love each other none-the-less.I shed a few tears, laughed out loud and didn't want to stop reading. This is a book I'm enthusiastically excited to recommend to ALL my friends. It's a story that will stay with me over time. These four women were the start of entrepreneurs in the USA. They brought their families, cultures, traditions and beliefs, to the new world for a better life. They persevered, allowed room for change and made their families proud. Well done!

Sweet story about friendship and growing up in Brooklyn in early 20th century. Super easy and quick read. Loved Italian and Jewish proverbs at the beginning of each chapter.

This is the second of Jane Healey's novels that I've read, and she didn't disappoint. Her characters were so genuine that you can't help being drawn into their lives. It feels like I know them personally, and want to follow their stories beyond the last chapter. Mixed with the social history of the early 1900s and especially the experience of newcomers to America, The Saturday Evening Girls Club is a very satisfying read.

An excellent read. Such a lovely group of girls and their mentors. A book that couldn't be out down. Liked the Jewish proverbs at the start of each chapter = perfect (and no, I'm not Jewish).

We often hear how America was/ is a land of opportunity. This charming story follows the lives of four young women from migrant families who took hold of their own destinies and forged their own identities. It deals sympathetically with the many issues their families faced as they adjusted to life in a new environment and struggled to break away from the traditions of their homelands. Above all the book highlights the wonderful support these young women received from truly benevolent American women who guided the 'girls'in their new home. I enjoyed this book very much. There are some lovely warm relationships and tender moments.

Lovely easy read book with a good storyline and some laugh out loud moments and some sad moments. I would recommend this book to anyone wanting a nice feel good story, based on a true club in Boston in the 1900’s.

This book was ok, although I felt like I would have enjoyed it more when I was on my twenties, I wanted more a second book.