The Fifth Avenue Artists Society

A Novel

By: Joy Callaway

Narrated by: Jenna Lamia

The Bronx, 1891. Virginia Loftin, the boldest of four artistic sisters in a family living in genteel poverty, knows what she wants most: to become a celebrated novelist despite her gender, and to marry Charlie, the boy next door and her first love.

When Charlie proposes instead to a woman from a wealthy family, Ginny is devastated; shutting out her family, she holes up and turns their story into fiction, obsessively rewriting a better ending. Though she works with newfound intensity, literary success eludes her—until she attends a salon hosted in her brother’s writer friend John Hopper’s Fifth Avenue mansion. Among painters, musicians, actors, and writers, Ginny returns to herself, even blooming under the handsome, enigmatic John’s increasingly romantic attentions.

Just as she and her siblings have become swept up in the society, though, Charlie throws himself back into her path, and Ginny learns that the salon’s bright lights may be obscuring some dark shadows. Torn between two worlds that aren’t quite as she’d imagined them, Ginny will realize how high the stakes are for her family, her writing, and her chance at love.

Heartbreaking and beautiful

One of the best books I have read. It is haunting, loving, and hopeful. I look forward to reading more novels by this author.

Slightly far-fetched

I didn’t hate it. But I didn’t love this book either. There were some parts of the story that felt like a very amateurish author wrote them. More like a YA book than a novel. There were often times that details were included that felt like the author was just trying to prove that she had studied up on the era.

Wonderful New Author

I can't remember when I have been so excited about a new author. I'm already hoping there will be more books to follow The Fifth Avenue Artists Society: A Novel by Joy Callaway.

When I have an audio book I normally listen only while I'm driving, but I could not wait to see what was going to happen next and had to adjust my drive time accordingly. The extra miles and time in the car was totally worth it.

I don't know how else to say it... I really loved this book!

Too much description, not enough story.

Really, why do I want to hear descriptions of turn of the century dresses. Not much story.

I failed to find the characters engaging

I listened to the first half of this book with the hope that the story would become more interesting. Sadly, the story was slow and the characters seemed whiney. Depressing.