The Harvey Girls - in the 1920s, two young women support one another as they embark on a new career.

As the railroads paved the way for the expansion of the American West, the enterprising Fred Harvey created a chain of restaurants along the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe railroads, offering a new level of hospitality. The women who served customers were known as The Harvey Girls. In 1926, two very different women joined their ranks. Charlotte Crowninshield, hailing from a wealthy Boston family, was fleeing an abusive marriage. Since a Harvey Girl could not be married, she had to conceal her past. Billie MacTavish, needing to support her large family, left school and became a Harvey Girl, hiding the fact that she was only fifteen. The two women formed an unexpected friendship, keeping each other's secrets.

Juliette Fay writes entertaining contemporary and historical fiction books. The Harvey Girls is an enjoyable look back at a bygone era when travel was done by train. The history of the Harvey House restaurants, which were located in bustling railway stations, and the women who worked there, is a fascinating one. The two main characters give a good sense of what it was like to train and become a Harvey Girl, including the requirement that the women maintain high moral standards. Charlotte and Billie end up working at the Harvey House in the El Tovar hotel at the Grand Canyon. Fay provides interesting background on the national park's creation and its impact on the Native American tribes who had lived there first and were displaced. This satisfying book will leave you wanting to search the vast amount of information available online. And if you've seen the 1946 movie, "The Harvey Girls," starring Judy Garland, know that many of the real Harvey Girls felt it didn't accurately portray them. It's a classic, nevertheless. And this book adds a new dimension to their story. 

Many thanks to Gallery Books for the opportunity to read this book in advance of its release.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars.

Historical Fiction.

Publication Date: August 12, 2025.

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