About the Book
She built an advertising empire on Madison Avenue. Then she walked away . . .
Manhattan, 1962. Josephine "Jo" Carmichael is the fashion world's reigning It Girl on the runways of Europe until she's forced back to New York for her estranged father's funeral. When she discovers his prestigious Madison Avenue ad agency is drowning in debt, Jo shocks everyone by wowing the board of directors and succeeding him as the new CEO. Branded "the boss's daughter" in a male-dominated industry, Jo must outwit her "Mad Men" rivals with a female team, win back major accounts, and prove she's more than just a pretty face--before her family's legacy goes up in smoke.
Present day, Port Huron, MI. Alex Carmichael has always lived in the shadow of her legendary grandmother, who once ruled the New York advertising world before mysteriously abandoning it for a quiet life running a flower shop in a lakeside Michigan town. Now, as Alex puts her own dreams on hold to care for her sharp-tongued, aging Gran, Jo makes one final, unexpected request that turns both of their worlds upside she insists on a return trip to New York.
With both of their futures in the balance, grandmother and granddaughter must come to terms with the truth behind Jo's sudden departure from the fast-paced world of a Manhattan C-suite all those years ago, and discover that ambition, sacrifice, love, and legacy are never simple.
Spanning decades from the Golden Age of advertising to today, The Making of a Mad Woman is a sweeping story of reinvention, family, and the courage it takes--for any generation of women--to claim the life they truly want. (Goodreads)
Releases February 9, 2027
My Thoughts
This book surprised me in so many ways! After the first three chapters I was totally hooked and I loved how the dual timelines were written. This author is so talented and there are many little details in this story that are special. I have never watched Mad Men so I truly had no expectations at all in that regard. I enjoyed the 60s era and felt like I was really there in New York with them. Rarely do I love both timelines, but in this book I really did! I was excited to jump back and forth and there is a little hint of a mystery that is tied up in the end. There is clean romance but there is so much more within the pages of this story. The characters all have something hard to work through and several times I teared up. I just loved everything about this story and it is one of my favorites of the year.
I highly recommend!
Five stars.
"I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley. All opinions are my own and I was not required to write a positive review."
