Best Books3

Park Avenue Summer

by Renee Rosen
In 1965 Helen Gurley Brown was hired to transform Cosmopolitan magazine. The story is told from the perspective of Alice, her young assistant, and shows the difficulties Helen faced when trying to change the opinion of others, especially men. Helen was forward-thinking and ahead of her time, especially concerning the sexuality of women. Park Avenue Summer by Renee Rosen   #Historical fiction, #reading, #books to read, #books

Praise For This Book


"A delightful and empowering read."-PopSugar

"Renee 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 bestselling 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

"Part historical fiction, part coming-of-age story, this is a novel for our keeper shelves to read and re-read when we begin to doubt that there is still time to become the best version of ourselves. Lovely prose, a unique storyline, and a heroine who will stay with you for a long time make this a book I highly recommend."-Karen White, New York Times bestselling author

"A breezy, delightful novel that celebrates female friendship and ambition. With Park Avenue Summer, Renee Rosen brings legendary magazine editrix Helen Gurley Brown back to life and captures a beloved bygone era with acuity, wisdom, and heart."-Jamie Brenner, bestselling author of The Forever Summer and The Husband Hour

"Once again Renee Rosen works her magic, transporting us to the offices of Helen Gurley Brown's Cosmopolitan in 1960s New York, and the result is a delight'...Rosen's command of historical detail is masterful; so, too, is her ability to create fictional characters, among them her heroine Alice, who are as fully realized and compelling as the beguiling Brown herself."-Jennifer Robson, internationally bestselling author of Somewhere in France

"Rosen delivers a cast of complex and ambitious female protagonists to truly root for. The Devil Wears Prada meets Mad Men, Park Avenue Summer is pure joy from cover to cover. I loved it."-Hazel Gaynor, New York Times bestselling author of The Girl Who Came Home

"Pussycats, Renee Rosen brings Helen Gurley Brown to life with all her cunning, vision, and shocking frugality. Park Avenue Summer is both a breezy Girl-Takes-Manhattan fairy tale, and a crackling account of how a brazen editor-against her bosses' better judgment-invented iconic Cosmopolitan Magazine. This novel perfectly captures the zeitgeist of 1965."-Sally Koslow, author of Another Side of Paradise and bestselling author of The Late, Lamented Molly Marx

"Renee Rosen combines meticulous research with a true affection for her characters to bring this heady time movingly to life."-Elizabeth Letts, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Eighty-Dollar Champion

"This is a satisfying read about one young woman's attempt to take advantage of the doors opening for women in 1960s America, and Alice is a likable complex heroine'...Recommended for fans of Fiona Davis and Melanie Benjamin."-Library Journal

"Where the book sparkles brightest is in Rosen's complete success in creating a soapy, small-town-girl-in-the-big-city story that includes sophisticated bad boys, designer clothes, and lots of smoking and day drinking. An ode to idealized 1960s New York, this champagne bubble of a novel takes the Mad Menapproach to depicting single, twentysomething women."-Booklist


Four plus years of book club picks
Looking for your next group read? Explore 4+ years of curated picks that actually spark a conversation ....




More Must-Read Books

Book Summary -  Daughters of the Sun and Moon by Lisa See

Daughters of the Sun and Moon

By Lisa See
Beloved New York Times bestselling author Lisa See draws on the vibrancy and turmoil of post-Civil War Los Angeles to tell the story of three Chinese women who managed to survive and, eventually, thrive, despite all odds. ...More

 Book Review - The Book Witch
by Meg Shaffer

The Book Witch

By Meg Shaffer
She can hop into any novel, she just can't stay there. Come along with the book witch in this magical and inspiring love letter to reading from the USA Today bestselling author of The Wishing Game ... More
Book Review -  Keeper of Lost Children
by Sadeqa Johnson

Keeper of Lost Children

By Sadeqa Johnson
In this new novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The House of Eve, one American woman's vision in post WWII Germany will tie together three people in an unexpected way....More

 Book Review - My Husband's Wife
by Alice Feeney

My Husband's Wife

By Alice Feeney
The New York Times bestselling Queen of Twists is back with a psychological masterpiece that will leave you questioning everything you know about love, identity, and revenge. By the author of His & Hers, now a #1 Netflix show!... More

You May Also Like:

Historical Fiction Books We loved From our website- Favorite bestsellers- NY Times Indie Picks, Celebrity Picks

Visit Our Blog

5 Star Reads
Most Antipipated Books of 2026 ..... Our Favorites.


PBR book reviews and Reading guides for book clubs
10 Books I Can't Stop Recommending
Book blog- Immersive reads